Just Tell Me What You Want
by ThePurpleMoon
Summary: SpencerAshley story, and how they come to realize their feelings and what they do with them. Of course, the others on SoN will be in here too.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG, but eventually I plan on bringing it up to T (PG-13) in future chapters, after it has started to well…get started.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please, I really want to know what everyone thinks of this so far.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, I wanted to try my hand at a South of Nowhere story. I'm hoping that people like this. If so, I will continue with it. It's suppose to take place pretty much at the end of the second episode (techniquely the third episode, I guess.) where Spencer and Ashley are sitting there listening to the new CD. I'm trying to incorporate some of what I know will happen in the third episode (hence the dance club), but it is nothing taken from their script or anything. So, following episodes may be completely different from this. Just please, let me know how you think it's going. I wanted to see some South of Nowhere fan fiction out there…and hopefully this works well for the readers out there because I know you wanted some too.

* * *

Spencer looked over at Ashley while they both listened to Ashley's dad's new CD. It was a pretty good song actually that was playing, but Spencer was trying to remember what had happened the night before. She remembered getting the drink, but hers was a 'virgin' because the bartender knew she was underage. Then, of course, she helped herself to another kind of drink, one which led to her being drunk. After that, it was all kind of a blur. She vaguely remembered talking to Ashley before the show, and being with Aiden…She glanced over at Aiden, and he was standing there talking with some of the other guys on the basketball team. She couldn't remember for sure what had happened, but he had assured her it was nothing bad or anything. Spencer had no reason to, well, not trust him. So, trust him, she would. Though, thinking like Yoda wasn't helping her any, so she turned her attention back to Ashley.

Wow, Ashley was really beautiful. Her brown hair was kind of sparkling in the sun if you tilted your head just so. Actually, Spencer was the one tilting her head, looking at her hair. She probably looked like she was trying to count birds in a nearby tree the way she was twisting her head. Of course, Ashley took that moment to look up at Spencer who was still staring at her smiling kind of giddily. "What are you doing?" Spencer didn't answer right away. "Hello! Earth to Spencer! Is anyone in there?" She then proceeded to knock on Spencer's head jokingly. Spencer immediately blushed. Crap. Ashley wasn't suppose to catch her staring. She 'should' be staring at someone like Aiden, a guy. So why was it Ashley that captured her attention?

"Sorry about that. I was just, um. I was…did you know that hair sparkles in the sun?" Oh, great. Spencer went and got flustered, and what ended up coming out was the truth. Well, a version of the truth. It was suppose to be 'Ashley's hair sparkles in the sun' to be technical…but that can be avoided for the moment. It wasn't suppose to come out like that! Quick, think Spencer! Change the subject. "So, this is a really good song." Okay, slightly corny and not too subtle, but it'll work. Good job, Spencer. Spencer was still thinking in her head and complimenting herself on a job well done as Ashley began to smirk.

Last night, Spencer had been all over Aiden, but when she had gone to talk to Ashley she didn't seem to be thinking of Aiden anymore. What was that suppose to mean? Ashley was really confused where she stood with Spencer. I mean, she had tried to make it pretty clear to Spencer that she was interested in girls. Spencer seemed to get that pretty well, in fact she freaked out at first. Now, she seemed very okay with it. Actually, last night when they were talking, she definitely seemed okay with it. Spencer had been pretty focused on drawing her finger in a line down Ashley's cheek before Ashley had forced herself to move away. She didn't want Spencer if she could only have her when she was drunk. And now, Spencer was staring at her as if she couldn't believe it was her she was sitting next to, in a good way.

"So, you like the song?" Ashley decided to play along with what Spencer was trying to change the subject to at first.

"Yeah, it's really good." Spencer tried to listen to the song more now, but she was still kind of out of it. Luckily, the stare that Ashley was sending Spencer was enough for both of them. So, Spencer managed to make herself look away, still blushing. "Spencer," Ashley's voice was nice and tender. There was no way the other girl could not look at her when she said her name like that.

"Yeah?" Spencer answered uncertainly as she turned back towards Ashley. The music still playing in the background in her mind.

"What did you really mean to say?" Ashley's brown eyes were looking beautifully in Spencer's and it was hard to believe that the two had known each other for such a short time by the way they acted. It was as if they had known each other for several years, at least. Though, it was also like a drug. Both of the girls could slowly feel themselves getting addicted to the other. Of course, neither girl would admit it to the other for the fear that the other girl did not feel that way back. Sure, Spencer was pretty sure Ashley was into girls, but there was no mention of her under these girls. Ashley didn't even know for sure if Spencer was into girls that way, especially after kissing Aiden the night before.

Spencer bit her lip and looked uncertainly at Ashley. She wasn't sure how much of the truth she should tell her. Everyone else was still milling around the grounds before school started, and no one was really paying attention to the two girls listening to music or talking, whatever it was they were doing. Ashley smiled at Spencer reassuringly, it was killing her not to know what Spencer was staring at. If it was her, she wanted, needed to know. If it was Aiden, well, she would take knowing that even for now. "Please?" It was a simple request that Ashley asked, and Spencer nodded.

"I was looking at you, okay? I was looking completely at you." Spencer said this quickly at first, because she just wanted to get it out. She wanted the truth to be out, so that Ashley could know. It was said slow enough though, that Spencer could see it register in the brunette's eyes. Spencer shrugged and smiled nervously unsure of how much of her secret this would give away to Ashley.

I was looking at you. At you. The words rang through Ashley's mind time and time again, repeating themselves. A small smile that had been on Ashley puzzled face, soon began to grow. If she was looking at me, that must mean that she might be into me, right? I mean, she wasn't looking at Aiden, or any other guy in the yard. Me. Ashley raised her gaze to meet Spencer's and they shared a small smile as they both began to consider the possibility that they had a chance with the girl they were sitting next to.

Just then, Ashley's cell phone beeped and the two scooted apart a few inches. Luckily, the headphones were long enough that they didn't fall. Instead, a disgruntled looking Ashley pulled her cell phone out of her book bag and checked her messages. Aiden had just messaged her asking if he could come over, if he was still one of the girls anyway after last night.

What else could she do? Aiden was standing only 10 feet away and giving puppy eyes towards the two of them, waiting for a reply. Ashley text back a 'yes' reply, and soon enough he was sitting down on the other side of Spencer. "So, what are you two talking about?" He questioned, smiling, not realizing the moment that he had just broken. "Plans for tonight? Actually, what are your plans for tonight?" He looked at both girls, but his gaze lingered on Spencer for a second longer, and Ashley caught it.

"Actually, I'm going to a club tonight with my brother." Spencer filled both of them in on her plans for the evening and then looked at the other two. Aiden was already glaring at the mention of her brother.

Aiden shrugged, "I have an away basketball game. I would assume that your brother was going to be there too." He tried to say this nonchalantly but it was obvious that he wanted the be the top star again at the team. Plus, Glen had just taken away his girlfriend, well, if you could call her that. You certainly couldn't anymore.

Spencer rolled her eyes playfully at Ashley. "Boy drama," Ashley provided.

"It's contagious with them." Spencer added to Ashley's in-put giggling, before filling Aiden in some more. "I'm not going with that brother actually. He's going to be at the game too, you're right. I'm going to be with Clay."

Aiden considered this, but realized he had no problems with Clay so he just nodded thoughtfully. "That should be fun anyway. Any chance you two will help me celebrate if I win?" Ashley considered getting a bit mad at hearing this phrase, after what had happened last night, but she knew he was joking around and that was all.

"Oh, you wish!" Both girls added their part to this at the same time, which caused another giggle between the two of them.

"You two say that guys have drama, but look at you two! At least we don't burst out giggling at every sentence we make." Aiden was trying to win this argument, but he was losing. They were still laughing. "Hey, I was being serious! I have a good point here." He added this last part jokingly, and then rolled his own eyes.

"Actually, you're one of the girls now, so shouldn't you be giggling too?" Spencer managed to stop giggling long enough to mention this little detail.

"Hey, she's right. If you don't giggle then you're not a girl. In which case, you're messing up our 'girl time' right now." Ashley raised her eyebrow at Aiden who raised his hands in defense.

"I'm not giggling." He tried to sound masculine saying this, but what guy can pull that off? Not even the star of the basketball team which sent the two girls into a giggling fit again. "If you two are going to keep that up, I'll catch up with you both later. Okay?"

"You could just giggle too!" Ashley provided this helpfully.

"Then you could stay!" Aiden just shook his head, already in search of his basketball buddies again. "Oh, come on!" Spencer shouted this at his back as he walked away before turning back to a grinning Ashley.

"Well, now that he's gone. What about you, what are you doing tonight?" Spencer tilted her head as she looked at the other girl.

"Um, well, I have some time planned with my dad for once. We were going to actually have supper together at home. After that, nothing special. Why?" Ashley was still smiling back at Spencer, her giddiness was still apparent, as was Spencer's.

"So come to the club with us! You can meet Clay and me there! It'll be fun." Spencer was trying to persuade Ashley, who truthfully didn't need much persuading to hang out with Spencer more. Still, she held out and didn't answer right away. Spencer batted her eyes jokingly at Ashley, "Come on…It'll be fun. You can officially meet Clay then."

Ashley considered this for a minute before nodding. "Is that a yes?" Spencer was still questioning her.

"It's a yes." Ashley returned Spencer's smile, and the bell chose that time to ring. Perfect timing for once.

"So, I'll see you later?" Ashley had stood and collected her CD player into her book bag, and Spencer was picking up hers as well.

"You know it." Ashley supplied her answer, and then the two friends started off towards their classes. Tonight would be fun at the club, but until then both would be preoccupied with thoughts of the other anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG, but eventually I plan on bringing it up to T (PG-13) in future chapters, after it has started to well…get started.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please, I really want to know what everyone thinks of this so far. Thank you to everyone that replied to my first chapter. I hope you keep liking it!

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, this is obviously part two of the story, and it was originally going to involve the club portion of the day, but it ended up being long enough to be it's own part. I had some extra time today, so I figured I would see how much I could get done. Don't worry, the club part will be in the next chapter, though. But, I figured that I should give some more background stuff that has been going on before we moved on to that part…Perhaps establish some jealousy that the girls encounter? ;)

By the way, to those of you who asked about whether or not I'd be posting the rest of the story here, that'd be a yes. I just wanted to wait a day or so before posting the next section here. Pretty soon, the stories should be up to date with each other, so that when I post a new chapter, I'll just post it here and there on the same day.

* * *

As for what Spencer remembered/didn't remember, I'm sorry if that ended up being kind of confusing. I realize that I had her kind of not remembering too much, but then I had her remembering several things about Ashley. I suppose, in a way, it was suppose to be Ashley remembering some of what happened last night too if that counts for anything, and I was trying to fill in some of drunken things that had happened just in case someone had not managed to see that episode yet, or read a re-cap of it. (Though, I guess most people have.) Anyway, sorry that that was kind of confusing. Now, I just hope everyone enjoys where this story is going in this chapter.

Spencer had been patiently waiting through all of her classes for the last bell to ring. It probably wasn't a good thing that she had only been at that school, in that state for that matter, for a few days and already she was wishing that time would go faster in class. I guess some things are universal no matter what school you go to. Though, there were a few times that class had picked up for a few moments anyway. Those were the ones that involved Ashley. They had seen each other a few times in the hallway, and they had a few classes together anyway. Those classes were the only ones that Spencer paid attention in. Or, maybe she paid less attention in those because Ashley was in them? Hm…

Ashley, for her part, had been pretty out of it that day too. She kept thinking back to the way that Spencer was looking at her and smiling. She was really trying to dissect that look though as she thought back. What did it mean? She said that she was looking completely at her. That meant, well obviously, that she was staring at her. But, why? Ashley had later gone and checked herself in the mirror. There were no stains on her shirt, no hair horribly out of place, and no chunk of food stuck in her teeth to stare at. So, does that mean that Spencer was looking at Ashley, simply to look at her? In every class she was thinking of this, but decided eventually that she wouldn't know until she talked to her again. They hadn't had too many long conversations that day, just a few short snippets of a conversation between a class every now and then, and a few glances and shy smiles as the teachers blabbed on in the front of the room about whatever it was they were teaching about. It wasn't their fault they couldn't focus today. No, they could blame the other girl for that! Though, that still ended up with each of the girls being blamed. And then, luckily, the final bell rang for the day.

"Hey you!" Spencer grinned as she heard Ashley's voice above her. Spencer was gathering the books she needed into her book bag.

"Hey yourself," Spencer answered as she shoved the last of her notebooks into her locker. Luckily, she didn't have too much homework to do tonight because she had a date! Er, correction. Not a date, she had plans, with a friend and her brother. Hm, okay, the brother part definitely took away the date part of it. It took away the temptation to call it a date anyway. She stood and finally turned around to face Ashley, who was standing, well, very close.

Ashley had been pretty much leaning over Spencer while she got her books out of her locker because otherwise she wasn't sure she would be able to hear her. It got pretty loud right after school as everyone finalized plans for the night and grabbed books that they didn't want to pull out to actually read that night. Though, some actually would, but for the moment they didn't really care about the others stuffing their backpacks. Now, Ashley was only a mere six inches or so from where Spencer was. She didn't realize right away that the blonde girl was standing, and now they were stuck just kind of staring at each other.

The thoughts of what Spencer had said earlier were still ringing through Ashley's head. Spencer reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Ashley's ear which caused both girls to smile nervously. "You ready, Spencer?" Clay chose that time to walk over towards the two girls. He was allowed to have Glen's car for a while because he had to go to the basketball game anyway and wouldn't be using it. So, that meant that he was taking Spencer home.

Immediately, the two girls broke apart, still giggling nervously and looking at each other. Spencer felt more awake in those few seconds than she had in a while. What did that mean? Even Aiden didn't really make her feel that way. So, Ashley wasn't suppose to make her feel like that either, was she? Was that okay? Ashley was trying to see what Spencer's reaction was, and she got a mixed one. Spencer was still smiling and giggling, but she was biting her lip as if she was trying to figure something out in her own mind.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Spencer turned to her brother just as Aiden walked by with some of the other basketball guys.

"Hey you guys." Aiden said as he smiled at the two girls, and gave an acknowledging nod to Clay. They hadn't really met properly, but both guys were aware as to who the other one was, and it was respectable.

"We're girls, Aiden." Ashley corrected him jokingly, and everyone kind of laughed.

"And you're one of the girls, remember?" Spencer was already learning how to fall into line with this kind of joking, so she let one of her own. Aiden grinned at her.

"Do the girls still get good luck hugs?" He decided to push his luck a bit, just to see her reaction. He was trying to gauge how she felt about him.

Spencer laughed and rolled her eyes. "I suppose so." With that, she turned and hugged Ashley. Ashley was surprised at first, then relaxed and hugged back. It was kind of apparent that both girls enjoyed the hug quite a bit due to their large grins. Spencer, was still trying to figure things out. Ashley smelled like a mix between shampoo and some cappuccino that she had obviously had earlier that day. Meanwhile, Ashley was quite happy to be breathing in the scent that was Spencer as well. She smelled more like berries and maybe a hint of mint. Whatever it was, it was intoxicating to Ashley. Their hug dragged out a few more seconds as each girl lingered in each other's touch, soft and delicately. Sweet really. "You need to specify which girl better." Spencer added this point to Aiden after the hug had ended.

He raised his eyebrows, and then took matters into his own hands. "I met me, you know." He pointed out jokingly, and Spencer laughed before leaning in to hug him too. He smelled like men's deodorant, which is a lot better than smelling like sweat. It was pretty decent smelling, but nothing as sweet smelling as the intoxicating smell of Ashley and her touch. His touch was trying to be soft, but it was harder, stronger, more manly. Truth be told, Spencer's hug with Ashley had been more enjoyable and tender. His was too rough, without trying to be. Then, he added in something else. Trying to be sweet, he leaned in and kissed Spencer on the cheek. His slight stubble grazed her face, and she smiled back at him. It wasn't too bad, but she was still secretly thinking of Ashley. She just had to have both hugs to maybe finally start to understand what she was feeling.

Just then, Glen walked by on his way to the basketball bus as well. He was checking out Ashley on the way. Sure, he was going out with Madison, but there was no rule he couldn't flirt with someone else. "Hey, you." He was obviously gesturing towards Ashley, and usually she would ignore his outgoing rudeness but she wandered over to him anyway. "You know, you're really hot." He was trying to be smooth, and compliment her, but Ashley had to force herself to smile anyway. If Spencer was going to confuse her like that, maybe she could get even. Jealousy? No, of course not. This was just her trying to get even. Yes, she was being petty, just flirting with Glen to see Spencer's reaction, but what else was she suppose to do?

Instead of slapping him, Ashley just giggled like a, well, like a girl would. He smiled. She totally dug him! Yeah! Two chicks already. Aiden's ex-girlfriend, and Aiden's other ex-girlfriend. That just proved that he must be better than Aiden if all of his girlfriends kept flocking to him instead.

Spencer looked over from Aiden to see Ashley touching Glen's bicep as he flexed. What the heck was she doing? She acted like she wasn't into him…Spencer wasn't sure why she was so upset to be honest. She just was. Though, she didn't mind when other girls flirted with Aiden…Some girls had been fawning over him earlier. Why didn't that bother her? She was so not jealous. No, not jealous, really.

Her mind was still turning and trying to figure it all out when Clay called to her again. Oh, right. They had to go. So, she said good-bye to Aiden, and followed Clay towards the car. "Hey, see you tonight, right?" She was calling to Ashley, who was still talking to Glen.

Ashley turned and smiled as she saw Spencer, she couldn't help it. "Yeah, I'll be there."

"Good." Spencer answered smiling and kept walking backwards trying to keep their eyes locked as she walked away.

"Spencer! Watch it!" Clay was trying to warn Spencer about something.

"Huh?" She turned around just in time to realize she had almost run into a pole. Oh, God. That would have been embarrassing. She almost ran into a pole because she had been too busy staring and grinning at Ashley. Clay looked at his sister and laughed as she blushed a deeper red. Luckily, they were at the car, so Ashley didn't see the blush. Hopefully, she didn't see Spencer almost running into the pole either.

As soon as Spencer turned around after almost running into the pole, which made Ashley giggle, Ashley stopped flirting with Glen. Spencer had been distracted by her! That had to be a good sign, right? Okay, so it was bad that she was only flirting with him to try to make Spencer jealous…But, Spencer was flirting with Aiden, what else was there to do? Glen looked confused that Ashley had stopped smiling at him, but realized that he was going to miss the bus in a minute. He promised to see her later, and gave her a winning smile. She smiled back, because she was still thinking of seeing Spencer later. She was so into him! He was pumped for the game now! Aiden and Glen tried to keep away from each other as they walked to the bus, but couldn't help sneering at each other. Ashley and Spencer, on the other hand, were simply pumped for that night!


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: Um…PG to PG-13 ish…

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please, I really want to know what everyone thinks of it as I go along. Thanks to everyone who has sent feedback already! I appreciate it.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Club portion of the story, whoo! Okay, well, obviously I got a couple of ideas from the previews that they showed us. So, there's a few things the same, like when Kelly and Spencer meet, but it in no way reflects what may actually happen in that episode. Just thought I'd try to fit some of what will actually happen into the story, as I twist it all around. Hopefully, you guys/girls like the new section I have written. Enjoy!

* * *

Spencer was already dancing around the house giddily as she picked up an apple and took a bite of it. Clay raised his eyebrow at his sister, "Uh, I really hope that's not how you're going to dance in the club." Clay joked as his sister stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, it'll be even better." She promised as she did a twirl around the room and almost knocked the chair over. Clay laughed. "There's not going to be chairs in the middle of the dance floor there!" She was defending her dancing as he just laughed and shook his head.

"Well, why don't we find out? There has to be something good to do there because it's getting pretty boring here." Spencer silently agreed with him. They had both done their homework early, and she was only allowed out because Clay had promised that he'd watch her and that they'd have all of their chores and homework done before hand. Luckily, this time they really did have all of that done.

Within minutes, Spencer was leaping out to the car. She was ready to go! Then, she thought about it for a second. Ashley wouldn't be there right away…but, she could have some Clay time before he found himself a pretty girl to chat with, and before she found herself an…Ashley? Hm, that sounded weird in her head, but it was normal right? Just because she didn't plan on finding some guy to dance the night away with, and instead wanted to spend it with her new best friend; that didn't mean a thing. Clay was happy for tonight too. Though, unlike his sister, he was looking for a girl, not one particularly named Ashley.

Almost too soon, it seemed they were at the club. Subconsciously, Spencer scanned the room for any signs of Ashley. Nope. Okay, so her friend wasn't there yet. No reason to be bummed out. Clay was already looking at several of the girls in the room, and smiling almost a bit nervously at them. Well, the last girl he was attracted to did almost get him beat up without meaning too…That would be a reason to be nervous.

Spencer was still hyper on the fact that soon Ashley would be here. She wasn't really sure why she had so much excitement. She wasn't this excited to hang out with Aiden. She reasoned that it was because she could talk about things with Ashley, because she would understand them better because was a girl too. It had absolutely nothing to do with the brown eyes of Ashley's and how much Spencer liked talking to her because then she had a reason to really see her. She her beauty, and acknowledge it. It was okay then, as long as she didn't think about it too much. Spencer rolled her eyes. She was over thinking things again; Ashley and herself were nothing more than friends. That's how it was suppose to be.

Thinking quickly, she realized she had to distract herself, and since Aiden wasn't here. "Hey, Clay, I'm thirsty." Rely on getting something to drink, or eat to take your mind off of it.

"Yeah, okay. The bar's over there." Clay pointed through the mass of people towards the bar in case that Spencer couldn't hear him over the bass that was playing in the background. They made their way over there, and after a few minutes it was apparent that there was no way that Spencer was going to be able to get herself her own water.

"Hey, can I get a couple of waters down here?" Suddenly, there was a girl standing between Spencer and the bar. She was really pretty, in Clay's opinion. However, she was nothing compared to Ashley, in Spencer's opinion.

"Thanks," Spencer breathed a sigh of relief as she finally got her water.

The girl laughed. "It's not your fault. The bartender only likes to pay attention to girls who are halfway clothed, and stuff like that." She smiled, "I'm Kelly."

"Hi, I'm Clay." Suddenly, Clay was reaching over to shake her hand.

"And I'm Spencer." Kelly looked at both of them, and her gaze lingered on Spencer for a minute.

She smiled, "You know. I'm not having any luck getting a table." She looked towards Clay and sweetly smiled. He was over-eager to help and immediately set off to get them a table.

Spencer had her doubts though. "You know, I bet you could have gotten a table. You were able to get us water."

Kelly was smooth, and already had this planned out. "Well, had I gotten a table, I wouldn't have been here to get you water, and we wouldn't have met." Kelly was smiling so warmly that Spencer just had to smile back. "And, it seemed like your boyfriend Clay was able to get one anyway." Spencer's eyes went wide and she almost choked on her water.

"Boyfriend? No. No, he's my brother." Spencer's eyes finally went back to their normal size as she got over the shock of someone thinking her brother was her boyfriend.

"Oh, so are you single?" Kelly raised her eyebrow at Spencer who didn't think too much of it."

"Yup, so far." She took another drink of her water, and Kelly just smiled.

Clay was sitting at a table as the two girls walked over to him. "Hey, found a table…Obviously." He felt kind of embarrassed at his last remark, but he was already starting to like Kelly.

They ended up each having a bit of food while they sat there before deciding to go dance. All three of them wandered out onto the dance floor. Spencer was actually better than she was when there were chairs in the way, which was good. In fact, she felt the urge to point this out to Clay. "Hey, Clay. See, I told you I could dance."

"Least when there's no chairs anywhere close." Clay laughed at his sister, who couldn't help but smile back once again.

Kelly looked at the two of them. "You're a great dancer." She purred as she looked at Spencer, but Clay took it as for him.

"Thanks," he replied smiling at the girl as he continued dancing. She smiled at him, but out of the corner of her eye, Kelly was still watching Spencer who naively didn't think too much of it. She was probably into Clay, but maybe she'd have a new friend! Besides, Ashley would be here soon.

Clay was dancing to the beat of the music with Kelly, and Spencer was dancing off a little bit to the side. A few moments later, Kelly glanced up to see another girl looking at Spencer and smiling. Uh-oh. Immediately, Kelly tried to make it seem as though they were together because she was suddenly closer to Spencer, and then they were dancing. It kind of looked awkward, but only because Spencer took a moment to adjust to the dancing. They smiled at each other and then just as Kelly was putting her arm around Spencer's back that girl walked up. The one that had been staring at Spencer. Kelly was about to move closer to Spencer, to get her to back off, but then Spencer noticed her.

"Ashley!" Spencer noticed her as soon as she got closer to them, and she was even surprised at how excited to see her she was. Almost immediately Spencer had flung her arms around the other girl, and Ashley just smiled and returned the hug. Spencer absentmindedly left her arm around Ashley's waist as she turned and introduced Kelly and Ashley to each other. If they were wildcats, both girls would have been snarling at the other. Lucky for Spencer, they were girls, not wild animals.

Ashley could see the way that Kelly was looking at her, because it was close to the same look that she felt coming onto her face whenever she saw Kelly. Only, Kelly's seemed to be more physical, and Ashley's had a tender undercurrent to it, whether she knew it or not. Whether she would admit it or not, it was there. Spencer was still standing there with an arm around Ashley smiling. "Wanna dance?" Ashley questioned, and Spencer giggled. Why was she acting so…girlish around Ashley? She didn't understand it, or maybe she understood it, and that was the problem.

"That's what you're here for isn't it?" Spencer laughed as she replied and let her arm drop off of Ashley's waist. Soon, the two girls were dancing together. Meanwhile, Clay had started to dance to the fast song with Kelly. He was a good dancer, he really was, but somehow, I don't think she cared. Within moments, Spencer and Ashley were smiling at each other broadly as their bodies swayed the music thumping from the speakers. Though, they didn't seem to be paying too much attention to anyone but each other. They had even managed to stop dissecting every little part of their relationship for a moment. Spencer stopped trying to figure out how she felt, she knew. At the moment, it felt like Ashley knew how she felt too.

Suddenly, there was warm air on her ear. Spencer whipped around to find Kelly standing there, with Clay next to her. "I have to go to the bathroom," Kelly whined hoping that Spencer would offer to go with her.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "You're a big girl, you'll make it just fine on your own." She frowned at the other girl, who was trying to lead Spencer away from their dance.

Clay shrugged in the background, "Sorry, can't really go with her there. Kinda has to be one of you two." Ashley raised her eyebrows, one of them? What the heck. There was no way she was taking Kelly to the bathroom. She was not playing mommy to her. Though, she really didn't want Spencer to go alone with her either.

"I don't know where it is." Kelly thought maybe this would provoke an answer from Spencer.

She got one from Ashley instead. "It's behind the door that has a little picture of a stick person in a dress. Right over there." She then proceeded to point and Kelly rolled her own eyes. She could see that Ashley liked Spencer, but she was the one who was going to get Spencer to go on a date with her.

Spencer just rolled her eyes, still oblivious to the jealousy and hurt that Ashley had lingering behind her eyes. "I'll go with you. We'll be right back." Then, before Clay or Ashley could say anything, their dream girls walked off through the crowd of people. The two left behind looked at each other and shrugged before starting in on a decent conversation. It'd do until the other two returned.

They got to the bathroom, and Kelly starting fixing her hair. Spencer began to wonder about whether Kelly really had to use the bathroom, when the other girl started talking. Kelly turned to Spencer. "I have to admit something."

"What?" Spencer chirped as she looked towards the other girl.

"I like someone, but I don't know how to ask them out for sure because I'm not sure how they'd react." Oooh, Spencer realized this was about Clay. Because, it was Clay that Kelly was talking about right?

"I'm sure Clay likes…" Suddenly, Spencer was interrupted by Kelly.

"I didn't say it was Clay." Ooh, mystery game. Okay, so she doesn't want to use his name, she's embarrassed because he might not like her. That's okay. That's how Spencer felt around Ashley because she wasn't sure how to make a move. Wait, did she just admit that in her own head?

Kelly was talking again. "But, I would like to hang out with you sometime. You know, talk and stuff. Would that be okay?

She wanted to talk about Clay, huh? "Sure, that'd be cool." Both girls smiled, one thinking it was a date, one thinking that it was to talk about a guy. Maybe people should be more specific.

Ashley was talking to Clay, but she was getting antsy. What was taking so long? "It's been two minutes." She complained to Clay.

"Girls take longer than that in the bathroom. You know, they talk, and fix their hair and stuff…" He trailed off for a second. "You should know, you are a girl." She rolled her eyes and hit his shoulder softly.

"Thanks, for telling me." She crossed her arms over her chest worried. What if Spencer liked Kelly? If only Ashley knew how wrong that was…

"Oh, go find her already, and go hang out somewhere." Clay laughed and shoved Ashley towards the bathroom.

"What?" She turned around defiantly, her eyes raging. How did he know?

"If you are afraid of losing Spencer as a best friend, go ahead, go find her. You're the one allowed in the bathroom, not me." Clay shrugged his shoulders and gestured toward the bathroom. Ashley smiled. He was right. She'd go see what was going on. It's not like there was anything going on though in there.

"Thanks," Ashley added before wandering off towards the bathroom. Just as she got there, Spencer and Kelly came walking out. Kelly was gesturing as she talked, and her hand landed on Spencer's arm. Spencer didn't flinch away, but as soon as she saw Ashley she grinned and quickly walked over to her, looping her arm through hers. Kelly didn't seem to mind, after all she's the one with the 'date' with Spencer.

Ashley couldn't take it anymore. Was Spencer into Aiden, her, or Kelly? She didn't want to play mind games. She wanted to date Spencer, that's all. "Spencer, can we talk?"

"We are talking, silly." Spencer smiled happily at Ashley, but soon realized her friend was serious. "Oh, yeah, sure. Just, lemme tell Clay we're leaving."

"It's okay. He knows." He knows? Apparently the talk was serious, but Spencer didn't mind. It meant more alone time with Ashley. She just hoped that the talk went well. Little did they realize they were both hoping this, as their hearts began to beat faster due to the hand-holding that had started as they made their way through the crowd to the door. Spencer suddenly remembered Kelly and called back a good-bye to her. Kelly was left there, as the two girls left. Hmph. Guess they'd all have to see what tomorrow would bring. Well, Kelly had to wait. Ashley, on the other hand, had Spencer's full attention now. They just needed somewhere private to talk.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want 

Rating: Um…PG to PG-13 ish…

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes, please. Feedback means more being written. And thank you to everyone that has responded so far:)

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Not too much to add onto this chapter. I was trying to make it realistic-seeming, especially towards the end. Well, okay, realistic with a twist of what I wouldn't mind happening. Hehe. But, that's not the point. I hope you enjoy it. :) Plus, now both places where I have posted this story, the two stories will be up-to-date with one another.

* * *

The two girls walked outside of the club, and then decided that they'd head for the beach that was nearby. They were going to drive, but it was almost faster to just walk. The whole way there, Spencer was glancing at Ashley, and Ashley was staring at the sand, trees, sky, anything but Spencer. They had been walking along the beach for a moment before Spencer stopped and decided that that was enough of the silence. "Ash?" She asked gently, unsure of how to continue.

Ashley had been lost in her own thoughts; she was trying to figure out how/what to tell Spencer her feelings. "Yeah?" She questioned Spencer all the while knowing what she wanted. She wanted to know what Ashley had brought her out here to tell her. Luckily, the night was pretty warm so there was no cold breeze blowing on them. Spencer just looked at Ashley for a moment, before Ashley lamented and answered her own question. "You wanna sit down?"

"Sure," Spencer sat down immediately after saying this. If it had been another situation, Ashley would have laughed at her friend's eagerness, her bright eyes shining with curiosity, and the playfulness playing with her features as she prepared to listen intently to what the other girl had to say. Unfortunately, this wasn't another situation. It was a situation Ashley had been dreading. How in the world do you tell your new best friend, who is presumably straight but not into labels, that you're falling for her? That might not go over so well…

While Ashley thought to herself, she began to unconsciously draw shapes in the sand. She ended up drawing a heart while thinking of how to word what she was going to say to Spencer. Spencer, for her part, just stared at Ashley wishing that she would say what was on her mind. A heavy sigh and a few seconds later, Ashley realized what she had drawn. She chuckled half-heartedly to herself, as she prepared herself for a let-down. Just because of the way that Spencer acted with her, and the way she looked at her, that didn't meant that she liked her right? So, this was pretty much going to be a let down…Her mind made her remember that she dragged Spencer here for a reason, even the sand with the heart in it knew that. So, why not give it a shot? It had to be better than watching from the sidelines right? Being in the game was always better than just watching, except in really bad games where the team gets creamed because the you can just say you didn't win because you didn't play…Wait, stop Ashley. Enough of the sports analogies. "Do you like Aiden?" Okay. Blunt, very blunt Ashley. That was all that seemed to be able to come out of her mouth at the time though.

This caught Spencer off-guard for a moment. Hm, to lie or deny? "Sure, he's a good guy." Okay, pretending she means as a friend works too.

"No," Ashley paused exasperated and figuring that Spencer knew what she meant. "I mean, as more than a friend. You were like all over him after school."

Spencer smiled. So, was Ashley jealous? "Well, he's the one who wanted to hug me, I just obliged." She shrugged absentmindedly.

Ashley looked at Spencer hard for a minute. "You did give him a hug though," she accused.

"Well, yes. I seem to remember you feeling my brother's biceps." Two could play at this game.

Ashley swallowed before continuing on. "At least he's not your ex-boyfriend. You were all over my ex-boyfriend!"

"Let's hope he's not my ex-boyfriend. It's called incest if he was! And he's your ex, I thought you weren't into him anyway." The two girls' voices had been growing in volume, and Spencer was trying to make things more rational again.

"I don't care that he's my ex-boyfriend. If you want him, take him. You were the one who got all defensive about me being with your brother." Ashley was still peeved.

"I don't want him!" Spencer articulated every word as she stared at Ashley, and was met with the same intense stare back.

"Well, you acted like you did." Ashley was so confused at what Spencer wanted.

"You were all over my brother too. Do you want him?" Spencer was now glaring at Ashley. Apparently they had entered fight zone without knowing it until now.

"Well, no." Ashley had to admit that she didn't like Glen despite her flirting with him. She only did it to try to get back at Spencer for flirting with Aiden, but that was insane of her anyway. Flirting with a girl's brother would not make her like girls.

"See? It's possible to flirt with a guy and not want them." Spencer was still glaring at the brunette.

"Yeah…but you were so totally all over Aiden before Glen even came into the picture." Ashley was getting all defensive, and not wanting to back down. There was no way she could tell Spencer how she felt if stuff like this was going to happen.

"What part of me not wanting him do you not understand?" Spencer's voice raised an octave as it got higher involuntarily.

"You have to want something to act like that!" Ashley's voice was growing louder as well, and it was probably best that they were on a deserted beach.

"You're right." Spencer just simply shrugged.

"So, you do like him! I knew it! Just admit it." Ashley grinned as she pointed this out to Spencer, not so much in happiness in victory but in finally solving the mystery of who Spencer was into.

"Do I have to bring up my brother again?" Spencer's eyes were shining as they were on the brink of tears. She just wanted Ashley to understand.

"That's different," Ashley debated while shrugging.

"How?"

"It just…IS!" Ashley was getting frustrated but the heart in the sand was still there.

"We're not going to get freaking anywhere if you keep acting like this." Spencer decided to be the voice of reason, even though her anger was still tinted with rage.

"Me? I'm the one acting like something? You are the one who said you had a reason for doing what you did after school, flirting with Aiden, and now you say you don't like him? It doesn't make sense."

"It does actually…it does. If you'd listen to me." Spencer was gesturing around wildly as she tried to explain, but she still seemed to be holding something back.

"Listen to you? I'm trying to, but I just don't get it. Just tell me what you want. Please, just tell me what you want." Ashley was tired of fighting. She was tired of wondering. She just wanted to know, and it showed in her voice as it wavered through her rant. Her eyes were beginning to tear up as well. She just wanted to know. That's all.

"You!" Spencer practically screamed as she decided against trying to deny it. She probably couldn't have helped what she had said at this point anyway. A tear had made its way down her cheek, as Ashley's brown eyes stared back at her.

Ashley blinked and simply looked at Spencer for a moment. The gaze between them intensified as things began to fall in place for each of them. They realized why the flirting had been done with the guys, and why their discussion had gotten so heated. Then, Ashley leaned forward in the sand and brushed her lips against Spencer's. Spencer was stunned for a moment before kissing Ashley back. The kiss lasted a few moments before Ashley pulled back to see Spencer's reaction.

Spencer just leaned back in towards Ashley after sharing a smile with her. Their eyes immediately closed as the kiss lasted longer than the first one. The two pulled back from the kiss, completely content. "So, I guess that means you like me too, huh?" Spencer giggled as she asked Ashley.

Ashley leaned back in and kissed her once more, and this time the kiss went a little deeper and lasted a few more seconds. Apparently, that convinced Spencer who just smiled. They would have gladly kissed a little longer on the beach, but it was getting late, and unfortunately Spencer's parents were strict on her being home before curfew. They finally were beginning to realize what they wanted. Spencer and Ashley stood, hand in hand, and walked back towards the car so that Spencer could get home a decent time still. They were quiet in their thoughts, but the happiness was plastered on their faces. Spencer considered mentioning her hanging out with Kelly tomorrow, but that didn't matter anyway, right?


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG, slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: You know I like feedback. If you didn't, you do now.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who has been sending me feedback; I honestly do appreciate it. I'm glad to hear that most of you like it. Even if you find a few things a bit odd or out of place in the story, I appreciate your honesty in the feedback. Though, if you don't like the story, no one is forcing you to continue reading it. Anyway, to everyone who has been reading it and does like it, here's my new chapter that took a few days to get put up due to a slightly busy schedule lately. Enjoy.

* * *

Spencer's alarm clock had gone off three minutes ago, and she was still lying there in bed. It wasn't that she didn't want to go to school, it was that she didn't want to leave daydreams behind. She was afraid that if she moved, that last night was going to end up as a dream. Well, not the Kelly part, that she knew was true. Clay had come home later all happy, but afraid that Kelly wasn't really into him. Spencer wasn't sure why this was, but she assumed she'd find out tonight when they hung out.

She was thinking of the part that happened later when she had walked with Ashley to the beach. It all felt so real, so vivid, in her head. It had to be real. This wasn't like the dream she had when she was little about Peter Pan and Wendy and flying around with Tinkerbell that had convinced her she could fly. The next day, she had tried to convince her mom to let her fly around outside, but for some reason that day she had to stay inside and help her mom make cookies. It wasn't until later that she realized it had all been a dream, and what happened last night, she definitely did not want to just be a dream. Crap, if she didn't get up soon, she would be late.

Ashley was fretting over the kiss last night enough for the both of them. The brunette was definitely sure of herself most of the time, but not this time. Last night, Spencer had been into it, into her. So, she would still be today too, right? She wasn't positive, which led to her pacing around by her locker nervously drinking her coffee which she was trying not to spill on her light gray t-shirt that was sporting a picture of a guitarist's silhouette or on her dark blue jeans. She had to stop worrying. It would only lead to wrinkles. Oh great, now advice from her mother was popping into her head. What was Spencer doing to her, already? "Ash!" Spencer had noticed the girl a ways away, but had to resist calling out until she was within hearing distance.

"Spencer?" Ashley had been facing the other way, trying to reorganize her locker, when she had heard the blonde girl calling her. "Spencer!" Okay, maybe she's a little over-excited, or over-caffeinated, perhaps both.

"At your service." Spencer laughed, as Ashley rolled her eyes at Spencer's bad joke, until they both caught onto the sexual innuendo that clung onto it. Then, they both tried to hide their blushing by changing the subject at the same time. They were both very subtle in their conversation changes.

"So, did you get home okay?" Spencer was at a loss for what to say next, and it was what she always heard her parents saying when they talked to their friends the next day. Of course, the fact that Ashley was standing next to her alive and well, was easily overlooked.

"So, the sky looks really blue today doesn't it?" She mentally slapped herself. The sky being blue, good one. Ashley tried to change the subject as quickly as possible, but this was all that came out. She sounded like some bad weatherman, er weatherwoman, on the early morning news channels before anyone was really awake.

Spencer burst out laughing. "The sky looks blue today? You're very awake this morning aren't you?" Ashley blushed again as her friend playfully poked at her, literally. Of course, Ashley didn't mind, except for the fact that she had to hide the coffee she had just finished. She tossed it towards a garbage can, and it bounced off and spilled on the ground. That's what she gets for not being in basketball. Blah. Maybe Spencer didn't notice. Spencer leaned around Ashley, who was blocking the garbage can to the best of her abilities. "You're also a good shot today, huh?" She grinned like she was the Cheshire Cat who had just gotten to recite something mythical to poor Alice.

"Hey, at least I didn't ask you if you got home okay when you're standing right next to me." Ashley proceeded to stick her tongue out playfully at Spencer who rolled her eyes.

"I just wanted to double-check. You could have had some horrific accident last night, and you're just covering up the marks with…really good make-up." Spencer nodded her head. Oh yeah. She had completely thought of a legitimate story to go with why she had changed the subject to that.

Ashley smirked, "An accident. Like, involving me running into a pole? Oh wait…That was this cute blonde girl that I know. Terribly clumsy though." Ashley shook her head, still smirking knowingly.

Spencer's grin faded, and her eyes shut as she turned bright red. Oh crap. Okay, so Ashley had noticed her almost run into a pole yesterday. Wait, something else caught her attention. "You think I'm cute?"

This one caught the self-assured Ashley off-guard. "Oh, well, yeah." She blushed. This was definitely not getting her anywhere. It was Spencer's turn again to smile.

"Aw, you think I'm cute." Ashley rolled her eyes. "Admit it." The brunette just shook her heading smiling. They both knew that Ashley thought Spencer was cute, but Spencer just wanted to hear the brunette tell her it again. Spencer smiled and gently began to poke along Ashley's side to find a ticklish spot. Luckily, not too many kids were around to notice them doing this, or they may have noticed the flirting that was underneath the 'friendship' between the two girls. Ashley flinched, and immediately the blonde girl began tickling her there, right along her ribs.

"You're cute! You're cute!" Ashley finally shrieked out.

Spencer giggled, "Well, if you say so. You didn't have to scream it though." A few kids were looking at them now, and this made Spencer embarrassed. It was Ashley that was used to being able to ignore strange looks from kids, not her. The first bell rang, and the two girls knew they had to separate then. Neither girl felt like moving from their current seats on the bench, but finally Ashley used her willpower and stood up. Spencer sighed and followed suit. They got their books for class, which was unfortunately not the same this hour anyway. After a quick glance around, Ashley leaned in for a hug with Spencer who gratefully enjoyed the gesture. Ashley began to walk away before realizing something. She turned around, and chuckled.

"Spencer, stop staring at my ass already, and get your own to class." Spencer guiltily moved her eyes up to Ashley's face, admiring the brunette tight-fitting t-shirt in the process. Ashley shook her at her friend, er girlfriend, girl who is a friend who she happened to have kissed last night. They would have to work on defining their relationship later.

At lunch, Glen was trying to figure out which girl to smile at first. Madison or Ashley? Madison was standing with the other cheerleaders as they talked about the upcoming basketball games this week and what routines to use. Ashley was sitting by herself looking around the grounds. He was about to walk up to her first because she was alone, but then his sister went and sat down across from her. Immediately, Ashley grinned back at Spencer, and he began to wonder if Aiden really had turned her gay. What a wuss. He'd be a better boyfriend then Aiden, and he'd start by showing Madison that. Glen sauntered over to her, and was greeted into the conversation easily because it was about the basketball games later this week.

Aiden saw Glen walk over to his ex-girlfriend, so he decided to get him back. He, in turn, walked over to Glen's sister and Ashley and sat down by them. "Hey there beauties." He smiled at the two, although it looked like more of a smirk.

Ashley giggled. "Oh, you're so charming, Aiden!" She caught Spencer's eye, and the blonde caught on as to what was going on.

"Oh yes! And you're so handsome." Spencer added this in.

"And strong," Ashley chirped which made Aiden smile and flex his muscles a bit involuntarily. Then, he caught on as to what they were doing.

"Okay, what did you two do?" Aiden immediately knew that they felt guilty. He noticed Spencer look guiltily at her brother. Aiden glanced over there to see Glen and Madison sitting awfully close together.

"We didn't know if you knew that Glen and Madison were together yet." Ashley bit the bullet and said the truth.  
"Ashley! You weren't suppose to tell him that! He might not know yet. You're suppose to say it gently, or nicely or something." Spencer turned to her friend and raised her eyebrows, completely forgetting that Aiden was sitting there listening to them both.

"There's no way to say it nicely. It's true." Both girls turned stunned to Aiden who shrugged after pointing that out. "We broke up this morning officially. It's not that big of a deal. I'm a big boy and can handle it." The two girls eyed him for a second debating if he was telling the truth or not. "Well, unless you two want to go back to flirting with me. In which case, I'm very hurt, so bring on the flirting!" He joked and grinned at both girls who both instantly hit him in the arm. "Hey, no fair double-teaming me like that."

The bell ending lunch rang and Spencer and Ashley stood up to go to their next class together. "It's not double-teaming if we don't plan it." Spencer pointed this out, and Ashley nodded.

"I'm one of the girls though. I'm one of the girls, remember?" Aiden called after the two of them as they walked away.

"You never giggled like one of the girls. So, maybe your privileges are revoked for the moment." Ashley said this with a straight face and poor Aiden looked like a lost puppy for a moment before they all burst out laughing, all three of them.

"Man, I really don't want to go to my next class." Ashley pouted and turned to look at Spencer.

"I never said I wanted to go either."

"So, if I don't want to go to class…and you don't want to go to class. How about we don't go to class?" Ashley was pressing her luck, but she was curious. Maybe Spencer was willing to just hang out this afternoon?

"Good thought there, Sherlock, but you know my parents will freak if they find out." Spencer really didn't want to go to class, but she didn't want to get in trouble for it either. The idea seemed kind of exciting though.

"Oh, they won't find out. No one takes attendance in the last couple of classes anyway." Ashley was trying to prove her point.

"They don't take attendance?" Spencer was beginning to weaken to the idea.

"Well, okay they don't in study hall. That's one of the three classes, and no one notices anyone in gym class because the class is just full of teenagers running around. Then, in science we're watching a movie. How can he take attendance in the dark?" Ashley knew she was stretching the truth a little. Okay, so it's possible no one would notice they were missing, and even more likely that no one would care.

Spencer glanced around. No one was really around, because the bell had just rang. They were officially late. She was going to be in so much trouble if she got caught, but spending another three hours here today just didn't sound as appealing as hanging out with Ashley did. Ashley was probably right. The classes were large enough in their last hours of the day, that no one would notice whether they were there or not for just one day. "Okay."

"Okay?" Ashley was trying not to squeal.

"Okay." Spencer nodded her head. "Like you said, no one will notice anyway right?" Spencer was nervous, but excited, and Ashley was simply excited.

"Right. It'll be fun. I promise." Ashley extended her arm out to Spencer who took it, and they headed off to Ashley's car. Okay, so Spencer wasn't sure where they were going, but it had to be better than watching a boring movie in science class again.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: I love knowing what you girls/guys think of this. Thank you to everyone who keeps sending feedback to me about this.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, I'm sorry that this has taken me so long to get another chapter out for. I've been busy with school and homework, and everything that comes along with it. Anyway, I had some free time today, so this story gets an update. Woohoo. Hopefully, you guys/girls forgive me for taking a little longer to get this posted. Also, I wanted to thank the girls/guys that have been sending feedback once more. I really do appreciate it, and I'm glad that most of you seem to be enjoying this story so far.

* * *

"Where are we going anyway?" Spencer questioned Ashley as they were both sitting in Ashley's car. They had been driving for a couple of minutes, and were both dancing to the music playing on the radio. 

"Where everyone goes when they skip school." Ashley said this nonchalantly as if everyone knew where to go when they skipped school. It was just natural.

Spencer scrunched up her nose and looked at her friend. "Why are we going to a baseball game"  
"What? No." Ashley took her eyes off the road and gave Spencer a weird look before focusing back on the road.

"I saw it in a movie once!" Spencer was trying to defend herself now.

Ashley laughed at her friend before shaking her head. "Well, we're going to the beach, not a baseball game."

Spencer smiled. The beach was better then a baseball game for sure. She smiled. "Guess I'm not in Kansas anymore."

Ashley feigned shock upon hearing Spencer's joke. "Hey, I thought you said you were from Ohio?"

Spencer simply rolled her eyes and began dancing to the song again while Ashley drove. The two sang along until they got to the beach and Spencer realized something. "Wait, I don't have a swimsuit."

Ashley laughed and pulled off her t-shirt. "I do."

Spencer tried to not check out Ashley, but they both knew she was going to. "How does that help me?"

"Well, it lets you check me out more easily." Spencer blushed at her friend's remarks. They were more flirtatious with each other after last night, and more comfortable after sharing their first kiss together. She shrugged. "I don't know. You could go swimming nude?" A sharp glare from the blonde told her that that was a no-go. "Um, well, I would suggest going to get a swimsuit…but seeing as you seem against it, I'll remind you of the swimsuit in your book bag." Spencer looked confused. "We were going to go swimming tomorrow, and I told you to put it in there early in case you forgot." Spencer's face lit up that time. Oh good, she remembered.

Spencer climbed back into Ashley's vehicle to change into her swimsuit, and Ashley being polite turned to look at the ocean. A few minutes later a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and there was Spencer's voice softly whispering in her ear. "Race you to the ocean." And just like that, Spencer was off running.

"Hey!" A few seconds later Ashley was laughing and running after her. She ended up running into the ocean just a few moments after Spencer did. They laughed and giggled and simply played in the waves for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company. They ended up laying on a couple of towels on the beach.

"What are we?" Finally, after several moments of silence, Spencer spit out what she had been wanting to ask all day.

"Humans?" Ashley offered, knowing entirely that it was not what Spencer was looking for.

"Ash!" Spencer rolled her eyes at the brunette, and turned over on her towel to face her. "You know what I mean."

"Well, what do you want us to be?" Ashley was agreeing to be serious about the conversation this time.

"Humans?"

"Hey," Ashley joked. "You can't turn around what I have to say and use it against me."

"Why not?" Spencer smiled innocently.

"Well, fine. Want me to go first?" Spencer nodded. "Well, I really like you, Spencer…"

"I like you too"  
"Yeah, but is it more than a friend?" Ashley and Spencer were still looking into each other's eyes as they had this conversation.

Spencer nodded. "I'm into girls, Ashley. I'm not sure about guys, but I know I'm into you. That way. How does that work?" Ashley smiled.

"That works just fine for me. Though, can I ask you something? Officially ask I mean." Ashley played with the string that was coming off of her towel while she asked this.

"Sure," Spencer nodded. Though, she had a feeling that she knew what Ashley was going to ask, and it was making her nervous. She didn't want to say anything yet in case it wasn't what she was going to ask.

"Do you like chocolate ice cream?" Ashley had noticed that Spencer was getting nervous, so she tried to lighten the mood. Instead, she just earned a confused look from Spencer before another classic eye roll. "Fine, fine. I'll be serious. Spencer, we know that we like each other. Do you think that maybe, um, you'd like to go on a date? As in tonight?"

Spencer grinned. Okay, she was confused at first with the chocolate ice cream question. Leave it to Ashley to try to make a joke at a time like that. "Yeah, I would." Ashley grinned. "No, wait, I can't." She had almost forgotten about her hanging out with Kelly tonight. How does she tell Ashley that? "I have to do something tonight. What about tomorrow night, though? I would love to tomorrow night."

Ashley nodded, she understood if Spencer had to do something with her family tonight. It was kind of late notice. Besides, she got to hang out with her all afternoon. If she wanted Spencer's family to like her, she'd have to let them see their daughter sometime. "Sure, I understand. It'll give me time to think of something great to do anyway. I know what you mean if you need to hang out with your family. Well, I don't really know seeing as my version of hanging out with my parents doesn't seem to ever go as planned…What, I mean is, I understand."

Oh, crap. Ashley thought that Spencer was going to be hanging out with her family. Well, Spencer tried to rationalize this in her mind. If Clay and Kelly got married then she would technically be related, but she realized that she had just jumped ahead about ten years and assumed that Clay and Kelly were together. Whoops. Okay, so that wouldn't work. Before she had a chance to explain where she was hanging out tonight, Kelly was walking towards them. Apparently, school had gotten out and she had decided to head to the beach.

She looked really good in her swimsuit, but so did Spencer and Ashley. "What are you looking at?" Ashley turned to follow Spencer's line of version. "Oh…" Ashley got cut off as Kelly noticed them.

"Hey Spencer." Kelly smiled at her.

"Hey," Spencer answered. Very original of her. Ashley glared.

"Hi to you too, Kelly."

"Oh, what's the matter, Ash? Too much sun for you today?" Kelly looked at Ashley and shook her head, feigning sadness. Then, she turned and smiled appreciatively at Spencer who didn't seem to notice.

Ashley chuckled. "Too much sun for me? You're the one who seems to have stayed out in the sun so long that her personality evaporated."

"Oh, but at least I'm not the one who's hot-headed." Kelly smiled, and reached out to touch Spencer arm as she talked. "So, have you been thinking about me?"

Spencer looked confused, and innocently naïve for a moment until Ashley jumped in to answer for her. "She hasn't had time. She's been with me all day." Ashley tried to smile, but it turned into a slight snarl, as she jealously took a few steps closer to her potential girlfriend.

"Poor girl." Kelly shook her head and then smiled again. "Though, I know she'll be thinking about me tonight. After all, we're still hanging out tonight, right?" Her smile turned flirtatious as she looked away from Ashley and back to Spencer. The poor girl didn't know what to say. She hadn't wanted to let Ashley find out that they were hanging out tonight this way. It was just as friends, but Ashley had seemed almost jealous whenever Kelly came around, and Spencer wasn't sure why. Kelly was into Clay. All Spencer could do was slightly nod. Ashley's mouth dropped open a little bit before she made herself shut it. She couldn't let Kelly know that she was upset.

"Well, good thing she was with me all day. Maybe that'll help her get through the night." Ashley and Kelly sneered at each other, and Kelly leaned over to give Spencer a hug. Ashley was in the way though; her arm was flung around Spencer's waist possessively. She just couldn't help it. Kelly almost giggled. Instead, she leaned over and gave Spencer a light kiss on the cheek.

"See you tonight, Spencer. Bye Ashley." With that, Kelly was off down the beach, and Ashley was left a mess. She was mad at Kelly, and for some reason simply sad that Spencer was going out with 'her' tonight and hadn't told her.

Ashley left her arm around Spencer's waist and led them back towards the car. "I guess I should get you home, huh? After all, it is after school now, your mom is probably wondering where you are. Plus, you have to get ready for your date tonight."

"Ash, it's not a date, and I didn't have time to tell you before she walked over. She's into Clay." Spencer was so naïve at the moment as to Kelly's expectations and wants.

"I thought Clay was a guy."

"He is."

"Then, I can promise you something. Kelly's not into him." Spencer looked confused as she looked over at Ashley who was still hurt.

"Besides, you're the one I have a date with. Tomorrow night." Spencer smiled over at Ashley as they got back into the vehicle, and Ashley chuckled. She couldn't help it when Spencer used that reasoning. She knew that the other girl was trying to get back on her good side. Spencer was just so cute though. "If it is a date, I'll tell you all about it." Ashley almost choked on nothing at hearing that. Whoops. Maybe it was too soon for jokes like that. "I was kidding. I was kidding." Ashley glared as Spencer as she smiled innocently. Ashley had a bad feeling about Spencer and Kelly going out tonight. She wasn't sure what to do though to fix it. In the meantime, they both had a few hours before they would realize what was really going on that night.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish. There's some light language, and light flirty fun.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please. I love knowing what you guys/girls think of my writing.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: I'm really sorry that this update is a bit overdue, but I'm trying to get back into a normal routine of updating, really, I am. I'm really glad you are enjoying it so far. Hopefully it continues to be that way. Anyway, I don't have to much extra to add in, especially since the next part is the most important. So, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

Ashley pulled up the car to Spencer's house and was trying desperately to cover up her sad face. Spencer ignored it. Which, of course, prompted Ashley to make a more exaggerated sad face, just to see if Spencer would notice. She did. "Ash, I'm not going to give into that look."

"Then why won't you look at me?" Ashley stuck out her bottom lip a little more and Spencer reached for the door handle.

"I told you I can't give into the look right now."

"Why not?" Ashley was still pouting as Spencer's back.

"Because then my mom might see me kiss you." Spencer looked quick towards the house and realized that the shades were shut. Okay, so her mom wasn't looking. She had probably about…oh, 13.4 seconds before her mom would get curious. She had to act quick.

"What? Your mom is going to see us kiss?" Spencer was pretty sure that Ashley wasn't done with her confused rambling, but she silenced the brunette with a soft kiss on the lips. It was suppose to be a quick kiss, but Ashley felt Spencer relax into the kiss, which made her deepen it.

"Ash," Spencer whispered in between kisses.

"You remembered my name." Ashley breathed out between kisses.

"My mom is gonna…" Spencer got cut off when Ashley pulled back and looked at the blonde girl intensely for a second. "What?"

"Way to break the mood, Spence. No girl wants to hear about her girlfriend's mom while they kiss." Ashley let her hand rest on Spencer's as she explained another part of the "Dating Girls Handbook."

Spencer laughed. "Sorry, I know better now, but as I was saying. My mom's going to be out here any…"

"Spencer is that you?" Mrs. Carlin had opened the door to the house and was now peering at the car parked in her drive.

"How did you do that?" Ash simply couldn't fathom how the other girl knew exactly how long it would take to peak her mother's curiosity.

"Magic." Spencer squeezed the brunette's hand one last time and climbed out of the car. "Yeah, Mom. It's me."

"Oh good. Where have you been? Is that Ashley?" Mrs. Carlin was still peering suspiciously into Ashley's car as she backed up and back onto the road. She then gave a brief wave back to the rigorous one Ashley had used.

"Looks like I'm going to have to woo her…" Ashley said to herself. "I have to woo her, so that I can woo her daughter…Woohoo." Ashley chuckled at her own 'woo' joke as Mrs. Carlin glared at her. She briefly wondered if Spencer's mom liked chocolate. Maybe that would win her over, lots and lots of chocolate. She was open to suggestions at this point, as she drove towards her own house.

"Yes, Mom, that was Ashley. We were just hanging out today. After school." Spencer fidgeted and played with her hair as her mom looked suspiciously at her. Spencer interrupted the interrogation before it could go any further though. "I have to go get ready."

"For what? You're going to hang out with Ashley again tonight?"

"No, mom. I'm going to out with Kelly. She's a new friend. She's the one that Clay and I met the other night." Suddenly, Mrs. Carlin's eyes lit up. She's the one that Clay met too. Good, good. She assumed they were going to go talk girl-talk about Clay. Oh, like mother, like daughter. Er, at least on a few things.

Spencer had been running around frantically, trying to find the outfit she should wear that night. Finally, just when she was about to give up, she heard the knock on her bedroom door. She almost freaked out, thinking Kelly was an hour early.

Ashley had gone home for a little while, but realized that she had to start wooing Mrs. Carlin soon. So, she went to the nearest store and bought her a pretty nice box of chocolates. She wasn't sure what kind she liked, so an assortment was bought. Two hours after she left, she was back at the Carlin household.

Clay answered the door, all spruced up and waiting for Kelly. He looked a bit disappointed that it was Ashley. "Hey," he answered. "I thought Kelly was suppose to be picking Spencer up." Oh, the irony. If Kelly had it her way, she would be picking up Spencer. Ashley shook her head of such horrible thoughts.

"She is, but I'm here now too." Clay nodded his head, deciding not to try to figure out the logic of girls.

"Where's your mom?" She shifted the backpack that she had slung over her shoulder, and reached back into it to make sure that the chocolates were still safe. They were. They were wrapped in newspaper…She couldn't find any other wrapping paper, so she used newspaper. Besides, all that mattered was that the gift was wrapped right?

"Uh, in there." Clay pointed towards the living room and Ashley smiled.

"Mrs. Carlin?" Ashley called towards the living room. A blonde head emerged, looking at her curiously.

"Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Ashley." The two of them had not been properly introduced, although they had seen each other multiple times before that.

"Oh, hello." Ashley. Of course that was Ashley. Suddenly, a grinning and overenthusiastic girl was handing her a gift wrapped in newspaper. How…quaint.

"It's for you." Ashley was still smiling. Everyone liked chocolate. Mrs. Carlin forced a smile. Okay, so it wasn't wrapped in the nicest paper, but she did try. She unwrapped the box of chocolates. How…unhealthy.

"Thank you Ashley…for the chocolate."

"Oh, it's no problem." I just want to date your daughter. "I just thought it was a nice housewarming present." Ashley smiled again at Mrs. Carlin.

"It's very nice." Is what Glen said about you true? Mrs. Carlin flashed another smile.

"So, where's Spencer?" Ashley was looking around the house. "In her room?"

"Yes, she is…but she's getting ready to go out." Please leave.

"I'll help her." Ashley didn't realize how what she said…well, she didn't realize how it sounded to parents who were overanalyzing everything that someone else was saying. Ashley took off to find Spencer's room as the other woman was left holding some newspaper and chocolate, her mouth slightly hanging open.

Ashley bounded up the stairs and knocked on Spencer's room, well, what she hoped was Spencer's room. "It's me, Spence." Immediately, the door was swung open.

"Ashley!" Spencer smiled. "Why are you here?"

"What a warm welcoming. I'm here to help you get ready for your…date." Ashley's voice dropped in volume, and the enthusiasm level also dropped drastically. She was practically scowling now.

"Oh Ash, it's not a date. I told you that."

"How many outfits did you try on? Five?" Ashley tilted her head as she flopped on Spencer's bed.

"No," Spencer stated. Yes, five actually.

Ashley shook her head knowingly. She knew that it was a date. Why didn't Spencer? "She's into Clay." Spencer pointed this out, and Ashley laughed.

"Sure she is, Spence. Sure she is." That's why Spencer didn't know it was a date. She was so damn innocent seeming sometimes. Spencer turned around and eyed the brunette, having finally figured out what to wear moments before Ashley had shown up. "If she isn't into girls, then I'm blonde."

"You could be blonde." Spencer tipped her head to the side. "Maybe you dye your hair." Spencer smirked as Ashley stared at her flabbergasted, wondering how she missed the point on that one. Suddenly, Spencer leaped onto the bed and poked at Ashley's stomach. "I was kidding about you being a blonde. Though, I still think she likes Clay."

Ashley sighed. "Girls. You gotta love them, but you can't make them see things your way." She shook her head pretending to be sad and in return got an eye roll from the blonde. Suddenly, Ashley got a twinkle in her eyes and reached over to try to tickle Spencer.

"Eek! No, no! My mom…Kelly will be here soon." But, Spencer was defenseless for the moment, she was being tickled mercilessly. Within a matter of seconds Ashley was leaning over Spencer, who was flat on her back on the bed, laughing and squirming. "Ash," she gasped out as Ashley kept tickling. The brunette was about to straddle Spencer, just so she could get better aim at her ribs, when Ashley heard something. Ashley had just wanted to have some fun, and perhaps some tickling would convince Spencer that Ashley was right.

Ashley rolled off of Spencer and stood up just in time. The blonde was about to protest when her mom opened up the door. "What are you two doing?" She peeked inside to see Ashley calmly standing there, and Spencer sitting up on the messy bed with flushed cheeks. She wasn't quite sure what had just gone on, and Spencer didn't seem to be offering any reasoning. The younger Carlin simply ran her hand through her hair, trying to cover up her still giddy grin.

"We were just trying to find Spencer's other shoe." Ashley explained, and Spencer nodded. Yes, her other shoe. Mrs. Carlin nodded and lifted both shoes off the floor.

"I take it you found it, huh?"

"Sure did." Ashley nodded some more, and Mrs. Carlin turned to leave.

"Spencer, by the way, I think your friend is here. I just heard a car pull up." Spencer nodded and jumped off the bed, trying to fix her hair quickly as she slipped on her shoes.

Ashley's bag was left open near the door and Spencer's mom stopped for a moment. "Ashley, this is a lovely dress."

Ashley tried not to smirk. "Thank you." Mrs. Carlin nodded, now smiling a little bit as she went down the stairs. Immediately, both girls burst into laughter again.

"Ash, you're staying here tonight?" Ashley looked down at her feet for a moment and fidgeted. "It's fine if you do. You can come with, or hang out with my family for a little bit until I get back."

Ashley let out a sigh of relief. When she had gone home for a little while, her mother had given her the signal that she was to leave again. She was suppose to stay somewhere else for past two days. Last night she had gone to her father's, dress and all. The dress was one of the things that her mother had thought she would need. Tonight though, her father had invited his girlfriend over. So, she was stuck without a home for tonight, until now. "I think I'll pick your family over Kelly, thanks. Wouldn't want her mad on your first date." Mad about you, that is. Ashley shook her head of such thoughts.

"Suit yourself." Spencer smiled. "I'll see you tonight though"  
Downstairs, Kelly was just being let into the house, and everyone was smiling at her. She was wearing a beautiful dress, and everyone seemed to approve, especially Clay and Mrs. Carlin. Within a matter of minutes, Spencer was finally able to escort her out of the door and away from their clutches. Ashley stood and watched them leave. "So, Mrs. C., need some help?"

Spencer's mom flinched at the use of her initial. She was apparently being downgraded. "Er, no thank you Ashley. Dinner will be ready soon, that's all." Ashley nodded and climbed the stairs back up to Spencer's room.

"Honey, she's trying to be helpful." Spencer's dad put his arm around his wife's shoulders lovingly, trying to comfort her.

"Helpful…" Mrs. Carlin trailed off as she walked back into the kitchen.

Spencer and Kelly were at a club within a few minutes. "Spencer, you look great." Kelly flashed an award-winning smile at her before flashing a similar one at the bouncer before Spencer could complain about their age and the club.

"We got in?" Spencer looked amazed and Kelly simply chuckled.

"Of course. Two gorgeous girls can get in anywhere they want." Spencer thought about the comment for a minute, trying to decide if it was a direct compliment or not. Soon enough though, she had moved on from the thought because Kelly seemed to be thinking other things. "Oh my gosh. I love this song!" Kelly exclaimed as she took Spencer's hand. It was a fast song, with a good beat.

Both girls were dancing happily, with each other, and by themselves. Mostly, they were just dancing within the same area before Kelly decided to try something. She positioned herself closer to Spencer, so that she was dancing with her this time. Spencer's mind was still foggy with everything that had gone on today. The beach, the tickle fest, her mom almost walking in during that, getting into a club, and now more dancing. Her mind was overwhelmed. She didn't even notice at first when Kelly place her arms around Spencer's waist. Then, when she did notice, she didn't move them. She was so sure she was right about Kelly. She was into Clay.

There were other girls dancing like this in the club, with their arms resting on each other during the fast songs. It was normal. Spencer decided that she would dance with Kelly. Spencer's arms floated down around Kelly. They were just two gorgeous girls, who were friends, that were dancing together. In Spencer's mind, they could dance as friends until a slow song came on. That was definitely for people who were on dates. Of course, just then the song changed, and a slower beat came out of the speakers. Neither girl moved her arms away.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG, with mild sexual themes.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please. I love to know what you are thinking, and it gives me incentive to write.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, I'm sorry that it took me a little while to get this update ready again…but here it is now anyway. Happy Holidays. Also, thank you to everyone who reviews and to everyone who has been reviewing.

* * *

Ashley was sitting around in Spencer's room for a little while before she began to get bored. She really needed to find something else to do. She tried on a few pairs of shoes that she found laying discarded on Spencer's floor. Then, she decided to wander down the hall. Glen was out with Madison that night, so the only other teenage Carlin that was left was Clay.

She wandered down to his room, and the door was left open. "Hey," she said as she leaned against his bedroom door frame. "What are you doing?"

Clay glanced up from his computer. He was currently working on a report for his Advanced Chemistry class that was due in three days. There was actually just a few finishing touches left to do for it. "Hey," he answered before typing a few more words. "I'm working on a report actually. Have you taken Advanced Chemistry?"

"Um, try no. I try not to tackle anything with a textbook that weighs more a rottweiler." With that, Ashley pushed at the giant textbook that was laying on the floor at her feet. "I prefer textbooks that seem more like a beagle. They're cute, and don't knock you over with excitement, or in this case homework."

Clay laughed at her analogy between dogs and classes, then he shrugged. "I suppose you're right, but you know, rotweilers are so bad. They don't always bite."

"Okay, okay. Enough with the dog analogies. I'm bored out of my mind here. Do you have a game or something that can be entertaining?" Ashley wasn't trying to be condescending about being bored while she was at the Carlin house…It just wasn't the same without Spencer there.

"If you are bored, why didn't you just go with Spencer and Kelly tonight?" Clay clicked 'Save' on his report, and turned to look at the brunette again. She shrugged. "Ah, still the mysterious girl, huh?" Ashley rolled her eyes, but she chuckled a bit. "Well, in that case, how about a round of Trivial Pursuit? It can be fun, even if you prefer beagles over rotweilers." Clay joked. He really liked that game, but no one usually had time to sit down and play it.

Ashley smiled. Trivial Pursuit. She could handle that, plus maybe it'll keep her mind off of a certain blonde-haired female Carlin. "Sure. This beagle is going to win though; I warn you now."

Spencer swayed to the music with Kelly in her arms. She was still thinking about Ashley and herself. Okay, so they had a date tomorrow night. Does that mean that tonight wasn't suppose to be a date? She really liked Ashley, but to be fair, Kelly was kind of cute. Wait, suddenly she started to come back to reality. She realized that she was breaking her own rule about a slow dance being for couples. In her rush to try to figure out whether or not she could consider this a date with Kelly, Kelly was trying to make it a date from their dancing. If she wanted to stop getting distracted, Spencer really had to stop thinking about Ashley and focus on the present.

Spencer pulled back away from Kelly. Kelly, for her part, stood there looking confused. "Need a break? It is getting kind of hot in here. Maybe we could go outside for some fresh air?" Kelly was definitely flirting with her now, even Spencer could tell that. Ashley was right. Actually, Ashley seemed to be right about a lot of stuff lately.

"Sure, I could use a break." Spencer allowed Kelly to follow her outside and towards her car.

Kelly smiled at Spencer and opened the door for her. They drove up to a well-known make-out point and Spencer was confused only momentarily. The blonde sat there for a moment as Kelly scooted closer to her. "I don't kiss on first dates." Spencer said as she moved away. She couldn't believe that Kelly was already trying to kiss her! She wasn't ready to kiss anybody yet, least when it comes to girls. Well, and that excludes Ashley…Because, well, Ashley is simply Ashley. Together they were Ashley and Spencer, or Spencer and Ashley, and somehow that made sense. Right then, being there with Kelly didn't make any sense to Spencer.

"I need to go home." Kelly leaned back and shook her head almost sadly.

"You sure?" Kelly cocked her head to the side and looked at the other girl. She wasn't sure if she was getting blown off, or getting invited to go on another date.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Spencer replied then tried to smile a bit. Kelly sighed and took the car out of park.

"Well, it could have been fun, you know. I can't blame a girl for having high morals though about first dates." Kelly was actually being really nice about this. She was willing to wait a date before trying to get into Spencer's pants. Spencer thought of this and almost laughed, but instead rolled her eyes. Kelly better not be trying to bide her time just so she could be with Spencer.

Spencer was starting to get uncomfortable. Kelly was looking at her intensely again, like she wanted to kiss her, and Spencer didn't want to be doing that right now. "Good night, Kelly." With that, Spencer opened up her door and stepped out.

"Good night, Spencer." Kelly smiled at the other girl as she left. Once the door was shut she muttered to herself. "At least next time won't be a first date, and if Ashley isn't going to date you. I'm gladly open to the idea." Then she chuckled a little bit as she pulled back onto the road.

Trivial Pursuit had been pretty fun actually. It had just been Clay and Ashley playing because no one else would join them, but it was fun. Ashley seemed to know the odd answers, and that was it. At the dinner table, she surprised the family by knowing The Lord's Prayer. Okay, maybe it wasn't the greatest supper-time prayer, but it was the only one she could think of. Paula, Spencer's mother, didn't look impressed, but she didn't look angry either.

Maybe it was the chocolates that were getting to her? Either way, it seemed that Paula might be potentially warming up to Ashley. As long as she didn't screw that up anyway. In fact, Paula had just gone to bed, because she had an early morning at the hospital tomorrow. She just let Ashley go back to Spencer's room to sleep.

Ashley had just brushed her teeth and retreated back to Spencer's room when Spencer, herself, walked in. Spencer had used the downstairs bathroom and had washed up already. She just had to put on pajamas. Ashley was already wearing hers. "Hey you."

"Hey," Ashley responded. "How was your date?"

"It was…a date, to say the least." Spencer shrugged her shoulders. She had had fun, but honestly the whole time she wanted to be with Ashley instead.

"To say the least? A good least, or a bad least?" Ashley realized she wasn't making much sense right now, but she wanted to know what had happened.

"She tried to kiss me."

"On top of the hill, with her sexy music turned on?" Ashley tilted her head, letting her wavy brown curls fall in front of one of her eyes.

"How did you…She did the same thing to you!" Spencer accused. Ashley shrugged. "You never told me!"

"I tried," Ashley shrugged again. "Did she kiss you?"

"No," Spencer answered honestly. "I think she wants to ask me out again though." Ashley sighed. She didn't want to lose Spencer to Kelly, but there was nothing she could say right now that wouldn't make her look even more jealous. Spencer saw Ashley's face and smirked. "You're jealous."

"Am not," Ashley pouted.

Spencer smiled and sat next to Ashley on the bed. "You sure?" She intertwined her hand with Ashley's.

"Fine…I admit it. I was." Ashley rubbed her thumb against the top of Spencer's hand as she admitted that.

"Really?" Spencer turned her blonde head to look at her friend.

Ashley paused for a moment before answer truthfully, "Yeah."

Spencer giggled and leaned over to kiss her jealous friend on the lips. "You're the one I came back to though, aren't you? You're the one that I'm going on a date with tomorrow night."

Ashley smiled. "You're right. I am." They leaned in and kissed again. This one lasted a little longer, but finally Spencer pulled back.

"We do have to get some sleep at some point."

"Hm, you sure?" Ashley looked at Spencer and turned on her charm, which earned her another quick kiss before Spencer got up to change her clothes.

"I'm sure." Spencer felt brave for some reason as she stripped off her shirt and shorts. Ashley could see her bare back as she changed into a pair of pajama shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt. She turned around to see the brunette gaping at her. "Stare much?"

"Tease much?" Ashley countered as Spencer crawled back onto the bed.

"I just felt…I don't know." Spencer searched for the right word. She was still giddy about making Ashley blush a few moments ago. Ashley was usually the bold one, but for once, Spencer had made the bold move first. "I felt happy being here with you, and I didn't feel like leaving the room to change into comfortable pajamas." Spencer stretched out on her bed and yawned.

A few seconds later, Ashley yawned. "Don't you know yawns are contagious? Keep them to yourself." Ashley was teasing the blonde who chuckled. "Good night, Spence." Ashley whispered as she shared another kiss with the blonde girl. They were both tired from the long day.

"Good night, Ash." Spencer whispered as she left her hand intertwined with Ashley's as they both drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish. Slight sexual content and slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please, I love feedback.

Summary: This is a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: I had an inspiration of some more to add to this story, so it's not over yet. I've still got a few ideas that I want to use on this story. Plus, I'm sorry that this took me a while to get another chapter out, but school and work has been keeping me busy lately. It should be better once my finals are over, because I should have some more free time. Anyway, I'm not abandoning this fic, so don't worry about that. I just hope you guys/girls still continue to like it! Thank you to everyone who keeps reading it, and sending me feedback especially.

* * *

Spencer was the first to stir seeing as Ashley was a pretty deep sleeper, not to mention a big fan of sleeping in. Though, today she really didn't feel like getting up either. There had been a gentle creak of some floorboards as someone shifted around in the hallway. Spencer opened one sleepy eye, blinking slowing. The blonde had ended up with her head on Ashley's shoulder, and she could feel that one of her legs was draped across Ashley's. Ashley's right arm was snug around her waist, holding her there warmly, a smile working its way unnoticed by Spencer to her face as she felt the blonde girl shift around, obviously waking up.

Paula had been awake for an hour, and she was trying to be rational, but she so badly wanted to check in on her daughter and friend before she went off to work. Arthur was trying to keep her away from Spencer's room simply because he knew that if Paula opened the door it would wake her up. Paula fretted about it for a moment and was ready to go upstairs to check on them herself, just a peek and then she'd be good. Really. "Arthur, I just want to check in on my girl before I go to work. It's Saturday and if I wake her up then she can simply go back to sleep later. She has to get up sooner or later…just this way if it's sooner, I can make sure she's okay with Ashley being there and everything."

Arthur ate another forkful of eggs and shook his head at his wife. "I know you just want to see what's going on in there. I can tell you without looking what they're doing." His wife's eyes flashed dangerously for a second as a few unwanted thoughts flickered through her head. "They're sleeping. That's all. We raised good kids. Spencer's a good kid. There's nothing to worry about, Honey." He stood up and walked over to his wife and kissed her on the cheek lovingly. She smiled up at him.

"You're probably right…It's just…"

Clay walked into the room and looked at his parents before backing up slowly. "It's too early to see too much parental loving going on. So, if you don't mind, I'm going to go catch some brunch with Chelsea. Okay?" He stood there for a moment and rubbed his hand nervously over his non-existent hair. He had told his parents his plans for today earlier, but he was still nervous about his first girlfriend in L.A. especially since the first time he had wanted to talk to her, he'd gotten into a fight.

Arthur and Paula smiled at him. "Sure, go ahead." Paula said as she backed away from her husband. "I'm just going to go check on the others quick before I head off to work." Arthur tried to mention a complaint about the idea but she was already walking towards the stairs, so he just gave Clay a look who looked confused and then shrugged in response.

Glen checked himself out in the mirror once more before smiling at his own reflection and heading toward the stairs. He could hear his parents talking downstairs, something about checking in on Spencer. Why the hell would they be doing that? She's sleeping, that's all. Nothing is very exciting about that. Wait, Ashley was suppose to be coming over yesterday or something wasn't she? She was the lesbian friend of Spencer's. Oooh, this he had to see. He bounded towards his sister's room and opened the door. Crap, all he could see was her window. He'd have to open the door more. Glen opened the door all the way and looked in to see his younger sister draped across her lesbian friend. "What the hell?" Both girls opened their eyes quickly to see Spencer's brother standing in the doorway. They sprung apart to opposite sides of the bed, and Ashley not realizing it wasn't Paula at first actually toppled out onto the floor with her pillow. Thinking quickly, Ashley ignored the pain that her backside now had from when she fell on the floor, and grabbed one of the blankets off of the bed.

She was still sprawled on the floor with her pillow and blanket when Paula got there. She looked relieved but frowned at Glen. "What are you doing?"

"I just, uh, wanted to make sure they got up in time for school, you know." He nodded.

"Today's Saturday, Glen." His mom looked at him suspiciously for a moment. He could be an ass sometimes, but he didn't feel like giving his sister away the moment when he didn't know for sure what happened, and when there wasn't anything for him in return.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I just forgot because I had basketball practice so I assumed that today was…" Glen droned on a for a moment before Paula nodded.

"It's okay actually, because it's easier for me to check in on all of you before I head into work." She smiled at the three of them and gave Ashley another look. "Oh Ashley, I hope that you slept okay last night."

Spencer's eyes opened wide, but Ashley spoke quickly. "Oh, yeah. It's okay, Mrs. C. I just used this pillow and blanket and I was fine." Paula bit her tongue as she heard the girl refer to her as Mrs. C. again but decided to ignore it for the moment because soon she was going to be late. It was okay. At least they hadn't been in the same bed, so she knew nothing was going on.

A little bit happier she smiled now, "Well, okay. I should head off to work. You guys have fun today, okay? I'll be home later."

Glen threw both girls another look including an arched eyebrow and followed his mom downstairs, if Clay still had his car; he needed a ride to practice.

Spencer crawled over to the side of the bed where Ashley still lay. "How was your fall?" Her eyes twinkled as she looked down at the other girl.

"Haha." Ashley joked as she rubbed at her backside. "At least I wasn't the one sitting there with my mouth hanging open."

"Well, maybe I should have my family walk in more often, just to see your amazing tricks." Ashley could swear that she heard some slight innuendo as the blonde continued on. "You might even be better those dolphins who can jump through hoops and stuff. Can you jump through hoops?"

"Yup," Ashley smiled. "I could handle being a dolphin." Spencer looked at her friend for a moment. Ashley grinned. "They're the only other animals that have sex for fun."

"Ash!" Spencer shrieked as she tossed another pillow at the girl.

"Spence!" Ashley joked right back as she amazingly caught the pillow. "Hm, maybe I'll go back to bed now…I do have all of the pillows…" Ashley seemed to contemplate it just as the blonde girl leaned over off the bed to reach for one. The brunette pulled it away, and pulled Spencer right off of the bed too. Spencer smirked. "Spence," Ashley warned as she saw a glint appear in the younger girl's eye.

"What?" Spencer asked innocently as she crawled over and gently kissed Ashley.

"I know," Ashley said between kisses, "what you're doing." Spencer just smiled and kissed her again. Both girls eyes had fluttered closed and they had just deepened the kiss a bit as Ashley ran her tongue against Spencer's lower lip.

"Spencer! Ashley!" Arthur called from a few feet down the hallway. Immediately both girls broke apart again, and Spencer hopped back onto her bed, frantically smoothing out her hair. It was impossible when she realized it was because she still had horrible bed hair. So did Ashley. Ah, okay. Bed hair was allowed, making-out hair wasn't.

"Ashley, your mother called a little bit ago. She said that she was going out for the day. So if you needed to get some stuff, or wanted to drop by there, you could." Arthur popped his head in the door and looked at two very flushed girls. Aw, the still had bed head. Paula must have woken them up when she had come upstairs.

"Thank you, Mr. C." Ashley stated as she tried to contain her relieved grin that he had said something before reaching the doorway.  
He nodded and then walked back to finish reading the paper before walking back downstairs to finish reading the newspaper before he left for work himself.

Ashley started giggling, which was as contagious as yawning apparently, because then Spencer started in. "We really have to work on our timing." Spencer giggled as she tried to talk.

Ashley smiled. Yeah, especially if they were going to be girlfriends. "Yeah, especially if we become girlfrien…gigglers."

Did Ashley just almost use the word 'girlfriends'? "Gigglers, huh?"

"Yeah, you know. People who giggle a lot. Gigglers. If we keep laughing like this, your family is bound to walk in more often." Wow, that was a bad explanation but Ashley managed to keep a straight face as she tried to cover up her verbal mistake anyway. Spencer nodded even though she was pretty sure that that wasn't what Ashley was going to originally say.

"You need to leave, though. So, get up." Spencer bounded off the bed and helped Ashley up.

"Why? Where are we going?" Ashley turned around to face Spencer.

"You're going home."

"What? Why?" Ashley looked confused for a moment and Spencer rolled her eyes.

"We're going out tonight, and you can't get ready here for our date if I'm getting ready here. Besides, your mom said that you could go home for a while today. You should take advantage of that and use your own bathroom to get ready."

Ashley pouted for a moment. It was too early for this kind of thing. "But, but…"

"Yes, yes. I have one." Spencer smiled and wiggled her butt for a moment. "Okay, even I know that was a corny joke, but you still have to go for now. Go, take a nap, or get ready. Whatever it is you need to do because you can't see me until I'm ready for the date."

Ashley took a moment to look at Spencer's bum as she danced around. "Is this like one of those, 'You can't see the bride the day of the wedding,' things, with you apparently being the bride since I'm the one being ushered out the door?"

"Something like that." Spencer smiled as she walked Ashley out into the hall and towards the door. "I'll see you tonight."

Ashley pouted for a moment more. "Fine, but I'm so not wearing a tuxedo tonight." Spencer laughed and tucked a piece of hair behind Ashley's ear before she smiled again and walked to her car. It was a good thing that she could drive and didn't have to walk home because she was still in her pajamas.


	10. Chapter 10

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish. Slight sexual content and slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere.

Feedback: Yes please, I love feedback.

Summary: This is a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.  
Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who continues to send me feedback. I'm sorry that it's taken a little while to get an update out, but they should be coming more frequently now seeing as I shouldn't have so much work to have to do. This chapter isn't as long as some of the chapters, I know, but I wanted to get this section out there. Enjoy :)

* * *

Ashley had, in fact, gone home and slept for a little while. Then, she managed to wake herself up enough to trudge downstairs to get some breakfast, well, early lunch. She reached her hand up to her hair and realized that she still hadn't taken a shower or brushed her hair in an attempt to get ready for tonight. Crap. She glanced at the clock. Good, she still had time to get beautiful, like she really had to try to do that anyway. She padded the hall to the shower. She felt much more awake when she climbed out, and proceeded to change into clothes that she was hoping would interest Spencer. She pulled on a pair of black jeans and a tight-fitting light gray vintage t-shirt with purple lettering spelling out one of the bands her dad had been in. Ashley wasn't really sure where they were going tonight, but honestly she was just hoping to look good to Spencer tonight.

After Ashley left, Spencer did fall back asleep for a few minutes, but this time she didn't have to wake up to her brother gawking at her and her friend/girlfriend, er, Ashley. This time she didn't have to wake up to her brother gawking at her and her Ashley. There, that sounded right in her head. Smiling to herself, she walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The first step in the process of getting ready for a date was generally a good shower. Afterward, she tried on even more outfits than when she had gone on the date with Kelly, which was truly saying something. The blonde finally decided on a pair of denim blue jeans with a dark purple tank top. Hopefully this outfit said something to Ashley, something good. After putting the finishing touches on her hair and lip gloss, the doorbell rang.

For once, Ashley was ready to go almost early, and showed up at the Carlins' house just a little bit late. She bounced around on the front porch for a moment before the door opened to reveal Arthur who had just gotten home from work. "Hi Ashley. Spencer's upstairs."

"No, she's not." Spencer declared as she grinned from the bottom of the stairs. "You're almost on time for once."

"Hey, I can be ready in time." Ashley tried to defend herself.

"You are when I tell you that you have to be somewhere an hour before it's actually time, anyway." Spencer smiled as Ashley caught onto what the blonde was hinting at.

"Are you saying that you told me to be here an hour earlier than you actually planned on me getting here?"

"To know Ashley, is to time-manage her activities for her." Spencer re-worded something that she had once heard, and she was pretty sure that it fit Ashley better this time around. Ashley sighed. Spencer was already figuring her out, down to her little quirks like almost always being late, fashionably late. (If only the teachers at school would see it as fashionably late.)

Arthur smiled at the two friends. "I'll see you later tonight then, Spencer?" His daughter nodded and smiled at him. "Don't be back too late, okay? Have fun."

The brunette was tempted to make a statement about how she was sure that they would have fun, but she caught Spencer's eye, so she changed her sentence was around. "I promise I'll have her back at a decent time, Mr. C." Ashley's brown eyes shimmered as she went over what she said in her head. Spencer was either going to kill her for making it sound so much like a date, or laugh. Personally, she was hoping for the latter.

Arthur smiled. Okay, what Ashley had just said sounded a lot like she was planning on bringing Spencer out on a date, but he was sure that it wasn't meant that way. Ashley had a pretty quirky sense of humor at times, so he was willing to guess this was a joke too, probably anyway. Either way, it was good that Paula was still at work, so she wasn't there to fret over silly things like one comment. "You better," he smiled right back at Ashley, and this time it was her who tried to decipher his meaning and whether or not he thought tonight was a date.

Spencer looked between her Ashley and her dad for a moment before breaking the moment by walking towards the door. "Come on Ash. See you later, Dad." Just like that, they were out the door.

"So, which one of us gets to be the one to decide where we're going?" Ashley glanced over at Spencer as she asked. "My only request is to not go clubbing tonight." Spencer laughed.

"I can agree with that one, though, it didn't end up so badly in the end." Spencer reminisced about after they had left the club, and shared a kiss later.

"That part doesn't count," Ashley argued. "That part took place on the beach."

"Well, does this count?" Spencer and Ashley were sitting in Ashley's car, stopped at stop light when the blonde leaned over and kissed her gently on the mouth. Ashley kissed her back, and just as the kiss was tempted to get heated, Spencer pulled back. "The light is green," Spencer explained as Ashley looked at her dumbfounded for a moment before realizing that she had to continue driving. "So, does that count?" Spencer asked innocently as she smiled over at Ashley.

"Oh, that counts alright. That counts, for my car anyway, but not for the club." Spencer laughed.

"Pull in here!" Spencer suddenly exclaimed. A neon sign out front said, 'Neil's Bowl-O-Rama.'

"Bowling?" Ashley questioned a grinning Spencer.

"I haven't gone bowling in so long. Well, not since I moved out here anyway." Spencer explained to her date.

"I haven't gone bowling…um, for a while, anyway." Ashley explained as she tried to figure out when the last time she had gone bowling really was. "I think it was a couple of years ago, when my parents decided that they were going to have some family bonding time with me and we all went out bowling." Ashley and Spencer climbed out of Ashley's car and leaned against it together as they looked at Neil's establishment for a moment thinking.

"Was it fun?"

"I was horrible," Ashley deadpanned before smiling. "I bet I can beat you though."

"Oh yeah?" Spencer chuckled and tilted her head toward the ever-amused Ashley.

"Yeah," Ashley claimed as she wrapped her hand around Spencer's waist.

"Aw, I'm going to get to beat my girlfriend in bowling." Spencer said sweetly as she kissed Ashley softly on the neck. She caught what she had finally said out-loud.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Crap. Ashley wasn't suppose to notice that. Shyly, Spencer turned and looked at Ashley who was grinning. "I like the sound of that." They smiled and both leaned in towards each other.

"I'm still going to beat you." Spencer whispered and took off running towards the bowling alley.

"That was evil, Spence! Pure evil!" Ashley shrieked across the parking lot as she began running to catch up with her gigging girlfriend.


	11. Chapter 11

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably PG-ish. There's slight language and slight sexual content.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. Well, now, I can claim Neil and Brock as mine, but that's it. Also, Madonna and Marilyn Monroe are both fine women, and this in no way disrespecting them or their work. Also, Angel is mentioned as from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. (Another good show)

Feedback: It always gives me incentive to write.

Summary: This is a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who continues to send me feedback. This is a nice chunk of their first actual date. It's just them having some fun and an interesting time while bowling.

* * *

Spencer and Ashley walked into Neil's and immediately noticed who Neil was. He had to be the teenaged guy at the counter who was looking really bored and polishing a bowling ball as the middle-aged man with thinning hair…Oh, okay. So, the older guy was Neil. The younger one had to be his son. Spencer and Ashley walked up to order their shoes, and immediately the younger son was paying attention to them instead of to his job.

The two girls were still holding hands as they requested shoes, and one lane. Luckily, there weren't too many people in there currently trying to bowl. There was a group of teenagers at one end of the bowling alley, and a guy and a girl playing each other in the very middle lane, plus a group of middle-aged guys who appeared to know Neil at Lane 3. In all, there were seven lanes. The girls were put in Lane 1.

Neil's son was still ogling them as they paid for the shoes and the lane. He really should look at that bowling ball sometime…Neil didn't pay too much attention to his son, and instead went to talk to his friends in Lane 3.

"Hey, I'm Brock." Ashley glanced at him. Of course, he would be a Brock. He had short black hair, and was wearing a green bowling shirt that you could tell he thought he looked cool in. He was adorned in what seemed to be expensive tennis shoes and jeans as well. He flickered a very whitened smile towards the two girls. "Do you need some help? Because, if you do, I'm the man for the job." After this, he flexed his right arm a little, every so, not so, subtly. Eww. Ashley did not want to be hit on by him. Plus, who taught him that pick-up line? Ashley decided that he had tried to make it up all by his lonesome, and that didn't work well for him. "So, who are you two?"

"I'm Madonna," Spencer interjected suddenly.

"Whoa, really?" Something made the girls think that maybe Brock had been entertaining himself earlier with a six-pack that his dad probably kept in the back for his friends when he got off work and bowled with them. "Are your parents really into music or something?"

"That's nothing. My sister's name is Marilyn Monroe. Completely different last name than my parents even…" Ashley tried her best not to snicker at Spencer's comments.

Brock was really enthused now. I mean, come on, her name is Madonna with a sister name Marilyn Monroe. She must be awesome. "Do you have a last name, like Madonna's?"

"Do you know Madonna's last name?" Brock paused for a second before shaking his head. "Me either. That's because neither one of us have one that we go by regularly." Spencer was amazingly keeping a straight face during this, as Ashley gawked at the conversation.

"You don't have a last name?" By now, Brock had moved back by the bowling ball and was leaning against it heavily.

"Nope. I'm just Madonna." Spencer deadpanned as Brock turned to look at the brunette again.

"What's your name then?"

"I'm Angel." Okay, maybe she had been watching Buffy: The Vampire Slayer a little bit too much lately, but it was all that she could come up with suddenly.

Brock liked the name, and you could tell, because he tried to lean across the counter, closer to the girls. "Wow, can I ask you something then?"

It was now Spencer's turn to try not to laugh. "Sure," Ashley stated, trying to look sincere.

"Did it hurt?" Ashley simply looked confused for a moment before Brock continued. "When you fell from heaven, I mean. Did it hurt?" He was grinning at the two girls who both looked stunned at his horrible pick-up line. Apparently, he thought it was a good one anyway. He nodded towards them, "So, what do you say if we go somewhere together. I'm sure my dad will let me off for a bit." Before either girl could respond, Brock leaned on the wrong part of the counter and tilted it a little bit, enough for the bowling ball to roll off of its cleaning rag and to fall directly onto his foot. "Oh, shit!" He yelled as everyone turned to look at him.

"Brock, what the hell are you doing? Leave the customers alone." Neil came racing back towards the counter and shooed his now-limping son away from the two girls. Spencer and Ashley carried their own bowling balls down to the alley.

"Madonna, huh?" Ashley burst out laughing as she walked out to bowl her first round.

"I thought it worked well, Angel." Spencer was already laughing at this point. Ashley was still laughing as she let go of the ball, but amazingly she still knocked seven pins over. "I thought you said that you were bad!"

"I said that I haven't gone bowling in a long time." Ashley stated as she went and bowled a spare with her second chance.

Spencer shook her head, as they bantered back and forth about Brock and his lame pick-up lines. The blonde walked up to bowl, and amazingly got a strike. "Oh yeah!" She turned and jumped around a little bit to something that resembled a victory dance.

"I thought you were bad!" Ashley gawked at all of the pins as they were replaced by new ones for her turn. Before the brunette stood up to bowl a second time though, the girls made a bet. Whoever lost, owed the other girl ice cream, for that seemed to be the food of choice at the moment.

After the betting was placed, Spencer remembered that she still had to point out that she wasn't always so good at bowling. "Okay…Well, I don't always get a strike. Just, sometimes." And, sometimes appeared to be only once, because after the first round, both girls began to get slowly worse and worse. In the final set of pins for each, the girls barely knocked over half of them.

Ashley bowled a 84, and Spencer a 90. "I told you that I would win!" Spencer did her version of a victory dance again, as she turned around to look at the scorecard. Ashley rolled her eyes. "You owe me something," Spencer mentioned casually as they started to take off their bowling shoes while still in the bowling lane.

"Ice cream?" Ashley offered sweetly, hoping it was something else.

"Well, yes, that too…but, I was thinking more along the lines of…" Suddenly, Ashley's lips were met with a very cute blonde's and Ashley didn't mind losing so much after all. Brock, who had just walked out from nursing his swollen foot, didn't seem to mind Ashley losing anymore either.


	12. Chapter 12

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably PG for slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. Well, minus Brock and Neil anyway. Those two are mine.

Feedback: Thanks to everyone who has been updating. I really appreciate it. I still really like reviews. They do actually inspire me to update. :)

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: I do actually apologize for not getting an update out for a little while. The remaining updates will, and should, come sooner. I promise. And, I'll say this now, no offense is meant toward anyone who is actually a cheerleader or who likes to wear flannel shirts sometimes. Cheerleading can be entertaining, and flannel shirts are warm. Just…for the purpose of this update, they aren't. Heh. Thanks. :) I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

The girls had found themselves leaving the bowling alley a few minutes later. Brock had watched them carefully, all the while, not even trying to bother to cover up his gawking problem. Neil had gone back to bowling with his buddies, and left his son to do his work. Both girls were glad when they got to the ice cream parlor. Yes, an actual ice cream parlor. Ashley also seemed to remember this place from sometime when she was little, but didn't feel open to sharing too many details of her parents on one night.

They walked into the building and immediately turned to look at menu posted above the overly perky cashier. Though, both gazes shifted when they spotted some very familiar looking females sitting at one of the tables. Cheerbreeders. Well, only four of them. Ashley rolled her eyes, and then almost on cue, Madison turned towards the two girls. She smirked. "Aw, look, it's our very own neighborhood lesbian couple."

Ashley moved forward a foot or so, and tilted her head at Madison. "Wandered out from hibernation already, Madison? That's too bad…You were better off under that rock."

Madison made a gesture towards Ashley as she was getting ready to attack her, but one of her cheerleader friends grabbed her in time. "What's the matter, Madison?" Ashley questioned as she walked towards the other girl and quickly pulled the cherry off the top of her sundae. "Afraid that I'll pop your cherry?" She asked as she popped it into her mouth and grimaced. "Imagine that. Sour. Just like you." Ashley smirked and swallowed the rest of the cherry.

Madison glared at the other girl. "Don't you have a gay straight alliance or something to go to?"

"That's on Tuesdays. Don't you have some brainwashing cheerleading convention to go to?" Ashley raised an eyebrow accusingly.

"Why? Jealous? Don't worry, cheerleading is a lesbian free sport here because we don't want anyone too happy when we have a pyramid and she's at the top. Do we, girls?" They all chorused in their agreement, minus Spencer and Ashley.

"Too bad you had one on your squad for a while," Spencer quickly quipped much to the surprise of everyone there.

"Oh wait, Spencer. They still do." Ashley was quick to follow the lead of her girlfriend.

Madison looked at her confused before huffing again, and crossing her arms. "What are you talking about?"

"You. I mean. Aiden liked me. I'm dating a girl. Aiden liked Spencer…" Ashley trailed off, waiting to see what Spencer thought fit to follow that with.

"I'm dating a girl." Spencer said and folded her arms across her chest looking at the other girls.

"That just leaves…Hm…Who else dated Aiden? Oh. You." Ashley feigned surprise as the other cheer breeders, er, cheerleaders, looked at Madison suspiciously for a moment.

"I'm not a lesbian. I'm dating her brother." Madison tried to reason with her squad even as she tried to think of a comeback to that accusation.

"And I pity him every minute for it." Spencer thought, but Ashley was the one who actually thought to make that statement.

"Yeah right. Losers…We better go, girls, before these two start pulling out their flannel shirts and make their wardrobes even worse." And then, in a huff, all four girls trounced out of the shop. The cashier looked at the two remaining girls in awe.

"It's on the house," she stated as they smiled happily and picked out ice cream cones. Ashley was busily licking her cone as she tried to drive. She had almost finished it. They girls had considered staying in the restaurant to eat, but after everything that had happened; they felt it best to leave. Plus, it was getting time to get Spencer home.

"Should you really eat and drive?" Spencer questioned. Ashley simply stuck the last bite of her cone in her mouth and tried to smile around it. "Real attractive, Ash. Real attractive." Spencer laughed at her girlfriend who smiled even more, again around the cone, before looking back to the rode. She swallowed, still smiling. They sat there in silence, listening to the radio, and the deviant in Ashley arose once more when she took Spencer's hand. Spencer opened her mouth because she considered saying something about Ashley driving safely with two hands. Ah, what the hell. Spencer simply squeezed her hand a little tighter and caused another one of those smiles of Ashley's. In fact, when they got to the Carlin household, both girls still brandished those silly grins of theirs.

"So…Spence. Um…I have to ask you something." Ashley, who was never at a loss for words, was shifting around in her seat uncomfortably.

"Hm?" Spencer simply asked, knowing that it was better to not interrupt the brunette's train of thought.

"Well, we've been hanging out a lot…"

"We are friends." Spencer couldn't help but add that in. Ashley rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean…Just, the thing is…Um. Does this mean…Does this mean that we're girlfriends?" Wow. Ashley Davies wanted to settle down. The very Ashley that had had so many girlfriends in the past, well, not girlfriends, but lovers if you must call them something, that her mother simply remembered them as to what they stole. Not to mention several boyfriends. In fact, her mother didn't even know most of the girls. Of course, Spencer wasn't going to steal something, except for Ashley's heart. That was the thing that neither Ashley's mother nor Ashley ever imagined being stolen. The television? Sure, maybe. A car? If they were sneaky enough…Hell, maybe even the kitchen sink…Well, okay, maybe not unless they were a plumber…but still. Spencer finally let herself focus back on the fact that Ashley seemed to want to exclusively want Spencer. Ashley seemed mildly surprised of it herself.

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" Spencer carefully asked, and Ashley bit her lip. That was a sure sign that she was nervous about asking. A slight nod. Then a vigorous one from the brunette. Yes, she wanted Spencer to be her actual girlfriend. She didn't want Spencer dating Kelly or Aiden. And she, well, she didn't want to bring home Tracy or Shelly or Carrie or Ann or Lorie or Kim or…anyone that wasn't Spencer.

"I," Spencer started to explain, and Paula chose that very moment to walk outside and try to look inside the car.

"Hi girls! Did you have fun?" She knocked on the window. Wow, that woman had bad timing. Both girls sat in the car still in shock of Paula interrupting them both. "Spencer?" She knocked on the window again. "Come on, honey. It's getting late." Spencer sighed and got out of the car. There was no way she could explain anything to Ashley right now. "Hey there Spencer," Paula continued to her daughter as she slipped an overly protective arm around her shoulders. "Good night, Ashley!" she tapped on the hood of the car seemingly glad to have her daughter back again. Spencer was dragged into the house looking hopeless, and trying not to look back at the car. She did. Inside the car, she noticed the sad eyes of Ashley looking back at her feeling even more hopeless than the blonde.


	13. Chapter 13

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is PG-ish.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. Well, Neil and Brock are mine, but that's it.

Feedback: Thanks to everyone who sends feedback, and I still appreciate getting it, yes. Plus, it really does give me incentive to update.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, so there has been happiness for a little while now…There has been a few requests for some angst, and who was I to deny? Plus, I had the same general idea that some was needed soon ;) Enjoy.

* * *

Spencer's mother didn't say too much as Spencer got ready for bed. In fact, it wasn't until the morning that Paula said much of anything to her daughter. Spencer had acted as teenagers do, and had slept in a little bit. It was late enough that she heard Clay getting out of the shower. Usually, Spencer would wait until Glen got his shower in, then she would get up and take hers. Glen always complained that Spencer took too long with her hair, so she eventually just let him go first. Clay, who didn't have to try to fix his hair, didn't mind taking his last. However, it wasn't until Spencer heard him talking to their dad about breakfast that she actually woke up. 

She glanced at the clock, realizing she was late once more, and then sprinted towards the bathroom. Clay was back in his room getting dressed, and Glen was still fussing with his hair. She had time yet! Quickly, Spencer took her shower, and brushed her hair. She already knew what she planned to wear, so that part was quick enough. In fact, the only thing that she hadn't had time to do was blow-dry her hair. That's okay, it was warm out, so she assumed that it'd dry quickly enough on the way there before school anyway. "Spencer, breakfast!" Paula was calling out to her, just as the blonde made her way down the stairs.

"I'm here, Mom. Relax." Paula frowned, wondering if her daughter was being sarcastic with her. She didn't push it, and instead just smiled again, settling down with her own cup of coffee. After breakfast, the three teenagers were getting ready to leave. Glen was driving them to school. That was when Paula realized that Spencer had blow-dried her hair. Glen noticed too.

"Sleep in a bit, Spencer?" Glen joked as she shot her brother a warning glance. She didn't want to discuss her waking up late in front of their mom, afraid that she might assume that something was wrong with her daughter.

"He's right, Spencer. Are you okay, Sweetie? Did you sleep in because you didn't feel well?" Spencer shook her head, concerning the sleeping in because she didn't feel well comment. Her mother took it as Spencer agreeing that she didn't feel well. "Do you need to stay home?"

"Mom, I'm not sick. I slept in. Teenagers do that sometimes." Spencer shook her hair a little bit. "It'll be dry soon enough anyway."

"Oh…Maybe I shouldn't have let you stay out so late last night." Paula was really wondering aloud. Maybe it was her fault that her daughter had slept in. "I knew I should have had that Ashley girl bring you home earlier…" She just had to make everything about her. Of course, it was Paula's fault that her daughter felt the need to sleep in. It was probably her fault that her daughter hung out with the likes of that brunette girl in the first place. Paula didn't like her. Of course, she wouldn't say that directly to Spencer, she'd take it the wrong way. Though, there was no right way to take it anyway.

"Mom, it's not Ashley's fault! I slept in a little bit. That's it. End of story." Spencer started to walk out the door, and her mother glared.

"Don't walk away from me, young lady." Spencer ignored her; she didn't have to deal with this right now. She'd feel after talking to Ashley again. They never got the chance to finish their conversation last night. She'd feel more awake after getting a cappuccino or another drink with caffeine in her system too. "That's it. You're not going out tonight with Ashley. Actually, no. I think it's best if you would stay away from her for a little while, not just tonight."

Spencer immediately whirled around. "What? You're not going to let me hang out with my friend because I slept in a little bit late? Are you going to ground all the kids that sleep in a little bit late? Clay sleeps in later than me every other day, and you don't talk to him about it."

Clay raised his hands in surrender, "Don't drag me into this. I got up this morning." Spencer shook her head, feeling defeated.

"I have to get to school," she muttered.

"The other kids aren't my concern. They aren't my children, and this isn't about Clay. This is about you. You are my daughter, Spencer, and I think it's best if you stay away from Ashley for a while. I don't think she's the best choice of a friend for you. That's that." Spencer shook her head, and walked out the door before her mother could say another word. She didn't want to deal with this right now. Her brothers followed her, walking towards the car. Arthur, who had missed most of this because he had been getting ready for work, walked in just as their three kids left.

"I feel like I missed something. Did a hurricane blow through here while I was getting ready?" Paula smiled at her husband and shook her head.

"No worries, Sweetie. It was just a misunderstanding. I took care of it." She kissed him on the cheek and walked towards the kitchen. He stood there dumfounded for a moment, trying to figure out what was really going on, before he followed to fetch himself some coffee before work.

Spencer was even more miserable by the time she reached school. She got out of the car just as Madison walked by. Spencer was prepared to have a comeback to anything that Madison may bring up, but Madison was simply interested in kissing her boyfriend. Spencer rolled her eyes as Glen started kissing her, and walked away looking for Ashley. Clay had already wandered off in search of his friends as well.

Ashley didn't go to school that day. She had wanted to, but her father had suddenly insisted on some father-daughter bonding day that he had thought of. No doubt it was to promote his healthy family life to the press, and it meant one other thing. He was leaving to go on tour soon. Her dad always got like that just before he left for a while, leaving her alone with just her mom, who ironically usually left her completely alone. He'd actually wanted to go bowling where they used to, at Neil's. It was there that he told her about the upcoming tour. He was going to be gone for a couple of months.

The brunette had been expecting this, so she practiced her nonchalant shrug the whole way over to the bowling alley. She managed to have it appear normal when she actually performed it for her dad, after hearing the tour news. The best thing about the day was that she would see Spencer after school; they were supposed to hang out. Well, there was that, and Brock was in school, so she didn't have to put up with him that day.

Spencer was in a horrible mood by the end of the day. She hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Ashley yet, and now she had to go home to face an evening full of her mom. Great. Usually, she got along with her mom, but not when it concerned Ashley. Some things parents just couldn't understand, or didn't want to understand.

Spencer had been in her room for the past hour, doing homework. Ashley hadn't been able to get a hold of her but couldn't because Paula had decided to take her phone this time too, really preventing Spencer from being able to talk to Ashley. So, Ashley did the best thing she could think of. She drove to the Carlin house. "Hi, Mr. C." She greeted Arthur as he answered the door. "Is Spencer upstairs?" He was about ready to let her in, when Paula heard Ashley's voice.

"I'm sorry, Ashley," she stated as she walked towards the door. "Spencer's doing homework right now, so she's kind of too busy for visitors."

"Oh, it's okay. I could do my homework too." Ashley said smiling, as she held up her own book bag.

Paula frowned, "I'm not sure that that's such a good idea. She had a large assignment that she really had to get done. I'll let her know that you came by though." With that, Paula shut the door. Ashley was not going to change her daughter. Paula wouldn't allow it.

"What was that about, Paula?" Arthur frowned as he looked at his wife. "Was that really necessary? I'm sure that Ashley and Spencer could have done their homework together just as well as they will separately."

"If they would do it just as well separately, why would they do it together? Can't you support me on some of my decisions in this house? Spencer's grounded." With that, Paula walked back to the kitchen for the second time that day, leaving her husband at the door, and for the second time that day, Arthur wondered what had gotten into his wife.

About five minutes later, there was another knock at the door. Paula was ready this time, or she thought she was. She opened the door expecting to see Ashley, but instead found Kelly. Ashley hadn't left from her parking spot across the street yet, and she felt some happiness anyway knowing that Kelly wouldn't be allowed to see Spencer either. Hah. To her surprise, she saw Paula smile and allow Kelly inside. After all, Paula thought Kelly was such a nice straight girl. Ashley bit at her lip, wondering why Spencer wouldn't see her. So, she did what she did best in these kinds of situations; she assumed the worst. Spencer must have freaked out about the idea of being her girlfriend. That's why she didn't return her calls this afternoon, and that's why she wouldn't see her. Well, if Spencer wanted to see other people, so would Ashley.

"Hello?" The voice immediately registered who was calling. "What's wrong, Ashley?"

"Oh, I'm just kind of bored. Feel like getting together tonight?" The person on the other end of the phone call was confused, but didn't feel the right to question the brunette at the moment. Hormones had taken over, passing the thin line called friendship. They both knew what this was. Whenever one of them would call the other, in a way like this, it only met one thing…They'd be getting together in more ways than one that night.

"Sure. I'll be at your house in fifteen minutes?"

"See you then, Aiden."


	14. Chapter 14

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish. There's slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Okay, I own Neil and Brock, but they aren't in this chapter anyway. They live at the bowling alley, only.)

Feedback: Thanks to everyone who sends it. I really appreciate it, and would love getting some for this chapter.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Hehe. Okay, I got a pretty strong chorus of people who don't like Aiden and Ashley together. (I'm a Spashley fan myself too. ;) Nonetheless, this chapter is still pretty angst-ridden with some possibilities lingering in the air. And, yes, I have Spencer doing chemistry homework. Seeing as I'm pretty fresh on my intake of organic chemistry; I decided it'd be a decent subject for her to have to deal with too. Anyway, enough of my rambling, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Spencer laid her head back on her pillow and stared at her ceiling. The music was blaring, and she was so bored. She had been hoping that certain brunette would show up, so they could talk, but she didn't seem to be coming over, at least not yet. Spencer sighed and looked at her homework again. The chemistry with all of its organic compounds and equations was just blurring together. She didn't want to have to deal with this right now. Spencer wanted to deal with Ashley.

With the music blaring, she couldn't hear much. She did manage to hear the footsteps as they came up the stairs. Immediately, her heart started to beat faster. It could be Ashley! She had finally come over, and Spencer could find out why she wasn't in school that day, and they could talk about their relationship and the possibility of dating only each other, of going steady. Going steady. At that thought, Spencer giggled because it sounded so vintage, but not in the fashionable way.

She wondered momentarily if Ashley would give her a pin to wear then, or if Spencer would have to give Ashley a pin. Wait, Ashley didn't go out for school activities, so there was no pin involved for her. Okay, Spencer had been a cheerleader, but she wasn't anymore…Hm, no pin for her to give out either. Well, that's no matter because who really wants a silly athletic pin to give to someone anyway? They could find a pin somewhere else, like a nearby store, and use that instead. One that had a fancy little saying or symbol…or just a plain one that made someone wonder what it was really for…Her mind trailed off into thoughts of pins, making her giggle even more.

"Spence?" Spencer heard the female voice call out her name, and the voice definitely wasn't Ashley's.

"Hey Kelly," Spencer answered wondering why she was hear, and Ashley wasn't.

"I just thought I'd stop in…I haven't gotten to talk to you for a couple of days. What have you been up to?" Spencer considered telling Kelly that she had been hanging out with Ashley pretty much nonstop, but decided that saying that wasn't exactly fair. Kelly was still her friend, even if Ashley was her girlfriend. Well, Ashley was her soon-to-be girlfriend, anyway, provided they talked.

"Homework," Spencer gestured at her chemistry textbook. Kelly suddenly looked slightly excited.

"Chemistry?" Kelly asked, and Spencer nodded, already disgusted with the subject. "What's it on?" She looked at the worksheet laying on the floor near the book. "Organics! I love these."

"What?" Spencer's mouth dropped open a little bit in shock.

Kelly shrugged. "I like chemistry. Give me a break. Plus, organic formulas really aren't that hard to figure out." Spencer rolled her eyes, not believing her. "Oh, come on. I can be a science geek, just don't let anyone know, okay?" Spencer looked at her blank worksheet, and Kelly picked up Spencer's pencil. "See, you have pentane already drawn for you? All you have to do is add two carbons onto this carbon…and you have 2-ethyl pentane." Spencer looked at Kelly's sketch, and then at the equation. Okay, so what Kelly may have said didn't make any sense to her, but the drawing did.

Kelly looked at Spencer and registered her shocked and slightly awed face. "It's just chemistry, not rocket science."

"Technically, rocket science could be part of chemistry…" Spencer mumbled, looking at the chemistry equation, slowly putting it together piece by piece.

"I'll help you with the rest you know," Spencer looked hopefully into the eyes of the other girl.

"Really?"

Kelly laughed, "Sure, it's not that bad really. Here, let me help you with the next one…"

Spencer eyed the problem, then the girl next to her. The one that had shown up, and was willing to help with homework. Though, she was sure that if Ashley was able in the subject, then she'd be willing to help too. "You really are a geek." Kelly took mock-offense, and made movements to indicate that she was going to leave. "No, no. A good geek. One that can help me with my homework." Kelly laughed and sat back down on the floor next to Spencer. When the blonde girl next to her smiled, Kelly had to remind herself harshly that they were only friends. Kelly couldn't kiss Spencer right now. Though, she realized something suddenly, she was the one who was with Spencer right now. The girl who was supposed to have won Spencer's heart was no where around.

"You know, organic chemistry isn't the only chemistry I'm good with dealing with…" Kelly looked at the other girl, obviously implying the chemistry between the two girls, and Spencer forced a quick smile, suddenly uncomfortable.

"I have to, uh, I have to go to the, uh, bathroom." With that, Spencer dashed out of her room, shutting the door, and quickly walking to her parents room. Her cell phone was in her mom's top dresser, just like she thought it would be. She knew her mother's hiding places. They never changed because Paula never knew that she had to worry about Spencer snooping before. She never had to either, until now; Spencer had to talk to Ashley. She made her way to the bathroom, clutching her cell phone in her palm. Seven voicemails, and eleven missed calls…All from Ashley. Huh. The blonde girl smiled, and dialed the number she already had memorized.

Ashley was, in fact, around. She just wasn't around Spencer anymore. The brunette was at her house, picking up some of her clothes off of the floor before Aiden came over. Then, she realized something. It was Aiden; he wasn't worth cleaning up her room over. He'd seen it messy before. There was nothing different now. Well, okay, this time they weren't dating. This time she was actually in love with a girl, but was afraid to tell her that. This time she wanted Aiden over at her house to make the said girl jealous, because the girl hadn't agreed to date only her. No, nothing had changed, at all. Even Ashley knew that she was lying to herself when she thought that.

Heh, date only her. That reminded Ashley of going steady, and pinning each other. Not the wrestling move kind of pinning. Though that could be fun too…She scolded herself for letting her mind wander where it shouldn't about the blonde. After all, the blonde wouldn't even see her that afternoon! Only Kelly was let in. Pinning though. It was like those corny movies that she watched when she got really bored. The guy asked the girl to wear his pin. Okay, so Ashley wasn't in sports. Ooh! Spencer was a cheerleader…well, not anymore. Store pins were better anyway.

The doorbell rang, and for a moment, Ashley got excited thinking that Spencer had escaped Paula to come visit her. Realization dawned on her, as she opened the door to find an over-eager Aiden. "Hey Ash," he murmured, trying to sound sexy. Suddenly, she was reminded why dating guys never seemed to work for her. No matter. It couldn't be helped now. Aiden was the only one that Ashley trusted with this kind of handiwork. He could be good for a little fling, and they'd be back to being buddies. It had happened before. Well, okay, not since Spencer had come along…but not that much had changed since then. Ashley refused to let her mind wander back towards the list of things that had changed, in a good way, since Spencer had moved to L.A.

Aiden looked nervous, and Ashley realized that she still had him standing in the doorway. "Hey Aiden. Come in already." She rolled her eyes at his awkwardness, and gestured towards the inside of the house. He smiled at her nonchalantly. Aiden couldn't help it. He was a man whore, sure, he'd admit that any day. But, Ashley was one of his female friends that he actually cared about. He wasn't going to be with her, and then suddenly not talk to her anymore. No, this was a good friendship, a friendship with benefits. Now, if only Ashley was still into this kind of thing.

They sat on the couch together, and Ashley flipped on the television. It was natural. Whenever they had something like this planned; it started off innocently enough with some television watching. She turned it to a movie randomly. Huh, the guy was pining something on his girlfriend…Shit. "Wrong channel," Ashley said casually and changed it to another movie. This time, the guy and the girl were breaking up. She was giving him back his pin. "Are all of these movies about guys and girls going out in the fifties or something? What's with all the freaking pins?" The brunette flipped the channel again, and Aiden watched her curiously. She was acting strange. This time, the movie turned on, just as a sports event started. Finally, something with no cutesy couple on stage. Then, the camera angle adjusted to show a guy getting beat horribly in a wrestling match.

"I love this movie!" Aiden cheered as the guy continued to lose. "He's a jerk through this entire movie, and then, him," he indicated the guy currently winning, "pins him."

"Damn it!" Ashley swore as she flipped of the television. "There's nothing good on," she lied. The second one was one of her favorite movies. Aiden didn't know that…Spencer did though. She pushed thoughts of Spencer out of her mind. The blonde girl was the one that wanted to date other people. She was the one who let Kelly come into her house and not Ashley.

"That last one is actually a really good movie if you give it a chance," Aiden began, but was silenced by Ashley's glare. "Fine, fine, never mind." He immediately backed down, not wanting to anger her. That's not what he was there for.

Ashley shook her head, "Just," she paused. Did she want to do this? No. Was Kelly currently trying to kiss Spencer? Probably. "Kiss me," she demanded and Aiden was happy to oblige. He scooted across the couch. The sound of his pants against the couch suddenly annoyed her. His eyes were already shut too. Aiden must think he has perfect aim, she huffed. She never had a problem kissing Aiden before. He was inches away from her, when his hand began to place itself on her leg already. Spencer never did that, and Ashley liked it that way. Just before his lips touched hers, which were unconsciously frowning, the phone rang.

"I'll get it!" Ashley immediately leaped off of the couch, and started searching for her cell phone. Aiden sat on the couch, befuddled and slightly annoyed with whoever was calling Ashley. The moment had been perfect! He was slowly seducing her, and then that thing had to ring. That thing was called a telephone, and even as he acknowledged that, he was disgusted with it.


	15. Chapter 15

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish. There's slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Okay, I own Neil and Brock, but they aren't in this chapter anyway. They live at the bowling alley, only.)

Feedback: Thank you to everyone who sends it. I really appreciate it, and it gives me incentive to write…When, I get feedback, then that makes me want to update…when I don't get any, well, fill in the blank.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, this is actually a decently long chapter. It kind of formed itself along the way because I didn't originally expect this part to end up this long. Yes, it has a lot of angst in it. I'm hoping that this will prompt some reactions from you, as readers, actually. Besides, they had the happiness for a while…now, a little angst is needed. I'm hoping that I did it all justice. Enjoy.

* * *

"Oh, hey." Aiden shifted on the couch to pull out the cell phone that had managed to make its way between two couch cushions. "I found it," he called out to Ashley as she trotted back from the kitchen towards him.

"Who is it?" Ashley glanced towards the ringing phone, secretly hoping that Spencer was finally able to call her back. She felt kind of bad leaving all of those messages…but she really missed her, and wanted to talk to her.

"Spencer," he answered simply, his eyes gleaming slightly. "I got it." He smiled at Ashley, and just as she was about to protest, he flipped the phone open. "Hello?" He answered calmly, as if he hadn't looked at the caller I.D. Ashley made a grab for the phone, but he moved to the side. Aiden knew that Spencer would have a problem with his being there with Ashley instead of her, and he couldn't help but provoke a little quarrel. Maybe the fight would even be kind of…hot.

Spencer frowned. What? Why would Ashley hang out with Aiden as opposed to hanging out with her? She had called the right number. She had checked. Twice. "Aiden?"

"Oh, hey Spence. How're you?" Aiden asked casually, as if he had just realized it was her. He smiled at Ashley as she reached for the phone again.

"I'm fine." Spencer paused, taking a deep breath, slightly agitated that Aiden had answered the phone. "Listen, is Ashley there?"

"Oh, yeah. Lemme find her." Ashley raised her eyebrow while looking at him curiously. What in the world was he talking about finding her? She was right here.

"Find her?" Spencer asked cautiously. She wasn't sure why he would have to find her…Unless she had gone to get something for the two of…No, no, not that. Ashley wouldn't have gone to get one of her DVDs to watch with him. That was something the two of them always did, pick out a DVD to enjoy for the night.

"Yup, found her." Aiden toothily grinned and handed the phone to the overeager brunette.

"Spencer, hey!" She tried to not stumble over her words in her excitement to finally talk to the blonde.

"Hi…Ashley." Spencer paused, unsure of how to gauge their current conversation.

"How are you?" Ashley asked, immediately realizing that Aiden had just asked the same thing

"Why are you with Aiden?" Spencer honestly couldn't stand not knowing why Aiden got to see Ashley, and she didn't. That question threw Ashley for a loop, and it took her a moment to respond.

"Why are you with Kelly?" She asked, her voice quiet, trying to keep Aiden from listening.

"How do you know that I'm with Kelly?" Spencer looked around guiltily for a moment, and as if on cue, Kelly knocked on the door.

"Spence? You okay? We have the…chemistry to finish." Kelly smiled to herself, realizing but not wanting to admit who Spencer was talking to in the bathroom.

"I can hear her." Ashley paused for a moment as she let her emotions settled down. They would soon get the best of her if she didn't try her best here to keep them down…even then she might fail. "Plus, I saw that you wanted to talk to her."

"What? When? It's not like you came around!" She was starting to get mad. How dare Ashley decide that Kelly must be with Spencer when Ashley hadn't come to see her anyway! All Ashley had done was call her.

"I did too! I was there earlier to see you. Your mom wouldn't let me in." Ashley sighed heavily as she told the blonde the truth. She didn't want to admit that Paula wouldn't let her in, but she saw no other choice.

"Now, you say that. How do I know that?" Spencer was getting angry simply because she wasn't sure who to believe, her mom or Ashley. Her mom had no reason to keep Ashley away from her.

"You believe me, Spence! That's what you do! That's what girlfriends do!" Ashley was getting infuriated. She had expected Spencer to believe her. It was hard enough for Ashley to admit that Paula wouldn't let her into the Carlin household as it was.

Spencer paused for a moment, breathing heavily. "…Girlfriends?"

"Yes, girlfriends." Ashley bit her lip to keep the tears from flowing. She had let her tongue slip, and use the actual word before Spencer had agreed to it…

"Well, I never said yes, did I?"

"What?" Ashley couldn't believe that Spencer was that mad about the slip of the tongue. It was an accident.

"How can you assume that I wanted to date you when you never even came around to see me today?" Oh, so that's what she was mad about…Ashley began to understand. Spencer thought that she really hadn't gone to see her.

"I tried to call you! I went to see you. Your mom wouldn't let me in. What else can I do?" She really should just believe her.

"My mom wouldn't have any reason to keep you out…" Besides the fact that she knows that you like girls, and because she's afraid that I'll like you, and she'd be right to be afraid of that…

"You sure about that Spence? You sure that your mom doesn't want me out of your life because I like girls?" Spencer was fairly certain that that could actually be the truth, but she wanted to give her mother the benefit of the doubt. She didn't want to believe that her mom would resent Ashley that much because of that, because if she resented Ashley for liking girls…that meant that Paula would resent her own daughter for liking girls too.

"She wouldn't do that." Spencer refused to move from her ground. No. Her mom wasn't judgmental about that kind of thing.

"Fine, so she just lets in Kelly, who wants you too." Ashley huffed. It wasn't fair that Kelly, a lesbian, was allowed to see Spencer, and Ashley wasn't.

"We're friends. You have to deal with that." It was the truth. Spencer and Kelly were beginning to become friends, but Kelly was hoping for more. That's why she was still outside the door of the bathroom, even though Spencer had never really answered her question. She knew that she had been heard, and that was enough for the moment. Kelly had decided to let the girl finish her conversation on the phone, but she stood nearby, hoping to catch a part of what was going on.

"Well, so are Aiden and I. You have to deal with that too." Ashley pouted. If Kelly and Spencer were friends, then Aiden could come over and hang out with Ashley.

"At least I don't have my friends answering my phone for me anyway." Spencer was still angry because Ashley hadn't even answered the phone herself.

"Yeah, because you don't answer your phone!" There was silence on the other end of the line. Paula must have taken the phone away, and that's why Spencer wasn't answering; she was afraid that Ashley was right about her mom. The brunette immediately felt the regret forming in her throat. She tried to take it back. "Spence…I'm sorry."

"You know what?…I'm going to go work on my chemistry. I have to finish it yet." Spencer cleared her throat, not wanting to let the tears start. She blinked, not wanting to think of her mother being that discriminating.  
"Spence? Come on, baby." Ashley was doing all she could to show that she felt bad now, and she wanted to take it all back. Somewhere, this conversation had gone down an entirely different path than either girl had ever intended.

"Don't. Call. Me. That. Only people that come around to see me can say that." Spencer carefully enunciated each word, now fully wanting to believe that Ashley hadn't come to see her. She had gone straight to Aiden. She must have.

"I did come around. You just didn't listen close enough." If Spencer would have been paying attention, then she would have noticed Ashley driving up to her house. She would have noticed Ashley knocking on her door, and Paula telling her to leave.

"I shouldn't have to listen closely, it should just happen. It doesn't. You should just listen to me. You should hear what I'm saying, and not assume things." Spencer was listening to loud music, yes, but she believed that she would have heard Ashley regardless of that.

"Like about being girlfriends?" Ashley whispered her question, afraid of the answer.

"Yes, like talking about being girlfriends, when you're hanging out with your ex-boyfriend."

"You're with someone who wants you too!" Stupid Kelly. Stupid Aiden. Ashley blamed all of this on them. Actually, stupid Paula too. She didn't help either.

Spencer forced a laugh. "So, you admit he wants you?"

"I…" Ashley glanced over at Aiden who was listening very intently to the conversation. The brunette knew that admitting that her ex-boyfriend wanted to sleep with her would not be an advised course of action at the moment. "I don't know." That was the best she could think of in a short amount of time. No explanation.

"You do too know. That's why he's there, isn't it, Ash? That's why you didn't come around. You wanted a boy toy. Not a girlfriend. Newsflash, Ash. I'm not a boy, and therefore can't be your boy toy. Sorry if that disqualifies me as anything decent in your book. I'm not going to be one of those girls that disappears the night after you sleep with them either. That's not me." Spencer released the sob that had been attacking her throat throughout most of the conversation. It was hard for her to say it, but she was afraid that that's what Ashley still wanted.

Ashley was crying by now too, and she was getting frantic and louder with each reply. Aiden no longer had to strain to hear the conversation. "Decent? Decent would be your mom letting me see you. Decent would be your believing your girlfriend…Believing me about this. I'm telling the truth." She promised the truth again, as another wave of tears struck.

"If you didn't want to see me today, you could have just said that you didn't come by. My mom has no reason to lie." Except that she might hate the idea that girls can love other girls. Spencer shook that thought from her head physically and mentally.

"Spence, listen to me, please." Ashley wiped angrily at her tears, and turned and walked farther from Aiden.

"No, you listen to me. I worried about you today, and then you go with Aiden instead of me? What kind of response is that, Ash?" Spencer shook her head, not completely understanding the ways of her, of Ashley.

"What kind of response is it? An honest one! You didn't want to see me. Aiden did." She paused, her chest heaving as she took another deep breath, trying to keep her tone level. "Unlike you, Aiden listens to me."

Spencer snorted. She felt like she had just been kicked in the stomach. She always listened to Ashley, and they both knew that. "Unlike you, Kelly comes to visit." Spencer was afraid to admit anything else.

"You know what? Fine. Go back to your skank friend." Ashley was almost shouting by now, and it was lucky that her parents weren't home again.

"She's not the one who has to call over a playboy to try to get some." Unluckily, that playboy was sitting on Ashley's couch, looking at her concerned and hopefully.

"No, she just has to push the right buttons for your mom." Ashley shook her head, even though she knew that Spencer couldn't see it. It also meant that they couldn't see each other's tears either. They were heard though, the voices and the tears they were ferociously trying to each cover up.

Spencer bit her lip. Her mom would not hate a girl simply because she liked other girls. No. She would not hate Spencer because she liked other girls, because she liked Ashley. All of the venom that was sinking into her heart each time she considered that possibility about her mom, poured out of her heart and into her throat as she spoke to Ashley. "You know what, Ash? Screw you. I'm tired of listening to your pathetic excuses about how you're actually trying to be in a decent relationship for once. I'm tired of hearing lies that you actually care. I guess I shouldn't have really expected you to actually change for me. I mean, I'm apparently no different than any of those other girls or guys that you were with. I should have figured that out once I figured you out."

Ashley felt the tears drip down her face. Spencer should know. She should know that Ashley loved her, but Spencer didn't seem to want to acknowledge that right now. "You figured me out, huh?" She knew that her reply was pathetic, even as she choked it out, but she was afraid to say anything more.

"Unfortunately, that's what happens in relationships." Spencer was relenting. She was admitting that they had a relationship.

"I thought we weren't girlfriends?" Ashley wiped angrily at her eyes with her free hand, as she wanted for Spencer's reply. It took several moments of silence before the blonde said anything.

"You're right. We aren't." Then, Spencer did one of the hardest things in her life. She hung up the phone. It was a simple action. A click of the button, and Ashley's voice was gone from her ear. Instead, she sunk to the floor in tears. The blonde leaned against the sink, and dropped her phone on the floor. She stayed there even as Kelly cautiously walked in. Kelly heard the girl as she fought with Ashley, and as she had broken into bouts of crying and settled herself onto the floor.

She wanted to be a good friend. So, she went in to comfort her. Spencer accepted it as Kelly slipped her arms around Kelly; it hurt too much not to. Kelly wanted to be a good lover. So, she moved Spencer's hair cautiously off of her face, revealing her beautiful face, and kissed her lips softly. Spencer accepted the kiss; it hurt too much not to. Ashley might not want her, but Kelly did.

Ashley stood there stunned. She had never even really had the chance to go out with the girl she really loved. The first girl she had really loved. The first person that she had ever really revealed herself to. Typical. Ashley wasn't meant for that kind of thing. She should have known. She scolded herself, and bit her lip to keep the tears back. Aiden rose from the couch. Things weren't supposed to happen like that. Yes, he was hoping to hear them bicker a little, but he bickered with his girlfriends and things were okay. It never occurred to him that things were that rocky between them, nor did he realize that it started as he had answered the phone.

He wasn't supposed to hear Ashley and Spencer break up. So, he did the best thing he could. Aiden walked up behind Ashley cautiously, knowing that she didn't want him to see her cry. She didn't want to seem weak. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, and let her cry. He let her cry when she turned around and buried her face in his chest too. Aiden kissed the brunette's forehead softly. He'd let her cry. He wanted to be with her, yes, but he also wanted to be with her in a way that meant that she wanted him like that too. Right now, all that she needed was a best friend. So, that's what he was.


	16. Chapter 16

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish…Maybe slightly PG-13-ish for slight language and sexual content.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. Minus Brock and his dad, who aren't in this chapter anyway.

Feedback: Thank you to everyone who sends feedback, I really appreciate it, and it gives me incentive. I love to get it.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, I don't want to sound rude about this, but I am getting a lot more hits than I am reviews…and I understand that not all of you are going to send reviews, and that's fine, really…but I have 669 hits on the last chapter, but only four reviews…That doesn't measure out quite evenly. So, I would really appreciate more reviews, because I do enjoy writing this story, and I want to keep writing it, and reviews give me incentive to update. Thanks to everyone who does review. Oh, and enjoy this chapter, and all of the angst.

* * *

Spencer wanted an automatic out, something to take her mind off of Ashley. She found such a thing in Kelly. They kissed a few times before Kelly told Spencer that she really did have to get some sleep. Spencer tried to protest, but Kelly told her to go ahead and sleep. Paula allowed Kelly to stay in Spencer's room with the door shut. She had no idea about what Kelly really thought of her daughter. That was for the best, at least, the best for Kelly.

Kelly settled herself on to the floor, not wanting to be too pushy. "Good night," she said as she rolled over trying to get comfy.

"Kelly?" Spencer turned in her bed, and peered over the edge down at the older girl.

"Yeah?" Kelly shifted her eyes over to the blonde in the bed.

"Come here for a sec." Spencer scooted over to the other side of the bed, officially making room for Kelly. She patted the spot on the bed, as she moved over, indicating that Kelly was supposed to sit there.

"You're supposed to be sleeping." Kelly scolded, but her eyes were laughing as she became curious as to the blonde's thoughts.

"Well, I'm not. So, just come here for a second." Kelly walked the last couple of feet before sitting herself on the bed, next to Spencer.

"Hm?" Kelly raised her right eyebrow, and Spencer took note of it. Ashley always raised her left eyebrow when she was curious. Quickly, Spencer banned Ashley from her thoughts.

"Sleep with me." Spencer blurted it out, immediately realizing the innuendo that her words carried with them as they left her mouth.

"What?" The right eyebrow raised itself again, and Kelly looked confused but intrigued.

"I don't mean like that. I mean, actually to sleep." Kelly still looked perplexed for a moment, but Spencer nodded her head. She meant it.

"Yeah, okay." Kelly obliged the girl as she climbed into bed next to Spencer, who immediately laid her head on the older girl's shoulder. Kelly giggled as Spencer wrapped her arm around her, and she felt Spencer smile back.

"You're sleeping on the couch." Ashley looked at Aiden who held up his hands in protest until she raised her left eyebrow at him. Then, he held them up in mock surrender.

"Sure I am." He smiled to let her know that he was joking.

"No, you are." With that, she turned and started walking towards her own room, and he followed just a few steps behind her, not so quietly.

"I know." He echoed his earlier statements, but kept walking behind her.

"Okay, just so you know." Then, she reached her room, and shut the door in her face. Damn, she really was serious. So, Aiden slouched back towards the couch and turned to the television to a random channel. The movie that he wanted to watch earlier was still on, great. He flopped back onto the couch and lay his head on the pillow. The couch was pretty big, and it was obvious that someone with some money owned it. It looked like brand new still, but it was big enough to almost fit two people comfortably on it. Aiden saw a few minutes of the movie before his eyes shut.

Ashley decided to lie down on her bed after changing into her pajamas. She was going to get some sleep, really, she was. The brunette stared at her ceiling for several minutes, which turned into hours. She simply couldn't sleep. Every time that she shut her eyes, she saw flashes of Spencer in her mind. It was almost 1 a.m. and she couldn't call Spencer at this time of night. Wait. Her insomnia was, in fact, Spencer's fault. If it hadn't been for Spencer letting Kelly into the house to see her and not Ashley…Well, Ashley would be sound asleep right now. Quickly, Ashley got her cell phone and dialed Spencer's number.

The phone started to vibrate. Sleepy eyes blinked at it before checking the caller I.D. Hmph, it was Ashley. Go figure. The girl rolled her eyes, and picked it up before it woke up the other girl. Apparently, no one had remembered to put it back into Paula's drawer; that would have to be done in the morning. For now, there was something else that had to be done. The phone was quickly switched off. There, she fixed it. The phone would no longer vibrate. Kelly smirked to herself as she quietly placed the phone back onto the desk. Spencer had finally fallen into a restless sleep, and so Kelly didn't want to wake her up. That's all. There was another smirk on Kelly's face before placed her hand back around Spencer and let herself fall asleep as well.

Aiden woke up about three hours after he had initially fallen asleep. It took him a moment before he realized what had woken him up. There was a lithe brunette girl that was currently trying to claim half of his couch. He blinked at her, still halfway asleep. She just smiled, and tried to not let him see her red eyes. After Spencer ignoring her call, she had begun to cry. It took about an hour before she calmed down, but now she was okay. She just didn't want to stay in the room by herself anymore. Ashley needed comfort, and right now, Aiden was definitely feeling like comfort.

She lied down in front of him, and he wrapped his arms around her abdomen, tightly but not too tightly, just enough to let her know that he wasn't going anywhere. Ashley sniffled, trying to hold in another sob. She didn't understand where things between Spencer and her had gone so wrong, but now wasn't the time to question it. They had school in the morning, and she had a perfectly gorgeous and caring guy with her. He knew not to question her about it. So, he kissed the back of her head, and gently let her fall asleep. When her breathing calmed, he allowed himself to do the same.

Kelly woke up to find Spencer still wrapped around her. Kelly kissed the still sleeping girl, in hopes of waking her. The blonde scrunched up her nose. "Morning breath," she muttered. She was joking, but Kelly didn't get it.

Kelly looked flabbergasted for a moment, trying to decide whether or not she should take offense to such talk. Before she could say too much though, the door flew open. Kelly's mouth dropped open, and Spencer's eyes opened wide. Oh shit.

Glen stood in the doorway, his eyes growing wide. "What the hell, Spencer!" He looked from his sister to the girl that she was still entangled with. He lowered his voice, so that no one downstairs would overhear. "If you're going to be gay, I don't see why that means that you have to have a different girl in your bed every week." Spencer opened her mouth to try to explain, but nothing came out. Kelly on the other hand, frowned. Other girl? Oh, Ashley. That was over now anyway, so Kelly simply put her hand over Spencer's under the covers. It was just over her hand, but it looked like it could be to anywhere by the way that Spencer gasped and the way that Glen's eyebrows shot up. "I have to be in a car, and you can bring them home? Not. Fair."

With that Glen frowned thinking back to his having to bring Madison into his car to have fun…while Spencer just had a sleepover in her own room. He shut the door quickly, and walked back to his room. The girls, meanwhile, realized that they had school soon. Soon Spencer would have to see Ashley, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that, except that she missed the girl, but at the same time was afraid to see her. After all, Ashley was the one who didn't want her.

Aiden woke up to find the brunette still snuggled into his chest. He smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. "Good morning," he whispered, his voice still thick with sleep.

The brunette stirred, not remembering where she was for a moment. A quick glance at the clock told her that they had an hour until they would be officially late for school. Aiden was looking quite tempting even though it was early, and most people looked horrible when they first woke up. Not Aiden. Okay, he had some bed head, and his scruff was back on, full force, but besides that…and potential morning breath, he didn't look half bad. Well, neither did Ashley. She looked better than 'not half-bad' and Aiden wanted to show her that. She looked at him for a second, for she had shifted around, so that they were facing each other on the couch. He was cute, yes. He was comforting, yes, and he definitely wanted her. Spencer was gorgeous, and everything that Ashley had ever wanted, but there was one important quality lacking. Spencer didn't want her, she seemed to want Kelly. So, she did what she could, with what she had. At the moment, she had Aiden next to her. He saw the look in her eyes, and moved closer so that their foreheads touched, giving her a moment to move away. She didn't. He gently brought his lips to hers, and she kissed back a moment later.

"Feel like being a little late for class?" She smirked at his widened eyes, that resulted from her question. Well, maybe they resulted from her venturing from lying next to him, to straddling his waist slowly and deliberately, trying to get a reaction. She got one, for he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her lips to his. "I guess that's a yes." She muttered before letting herself forget everything as they kissed.


	17. Chapter 17

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG. It has some slight sexual content.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Of course, minus Brock and his father, who are still at the bowling alley)

Feedback: I want to thank everyone who has sent me feedback. I really do appreciate it, and I'd love to keep getting it.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: This is the next tidbit of what's going on in the Spencer/Ashley world. I love to hear what everyone thinks of my stories, so thanks to everyone who sends feedback. Enjoy.

* * *

"So, can I see you at lunch?" Kelly turned to look at Spencer. Spencer got a ride to school from Kelly, and luckily they had gotten ready in time even with Glen walking in on them in an awkward position. Also luckily, he didn't mention it at breakfast; he was smarter than that. Kelly had off-campus lunch, and she wanted to come spend it with Spencer on her school campus.

"Wouldn't that take a while? The drive, I mean." Spencer turned to look the other girl in the eye before reaching to grab her book bag from the floor.

"It's not that long of a drive." Kelly shrugged as she answered. She really just wanted to spend some more time with the blonde girl at her side.

"Sure," Spencer relented, smiling. A thought of Ashley becoming jealous from seeing Spencer and Kelly together flashed through the blonde's head, making her smile even more. Kelly assumed it was because of her, and returned the smile with a flash of white teeth from her part. "I'll see you then." Kelly leaned in and gave Spencer a quick peck on the lips. It bothered Spencer because they were in public, and she wasn't willing to come out suddenly to everyone, in case her mom truly figured it out, but Kelly didn't seem to care about that kind of thing. Another flash of Ashley popped into the blonde's mind, and Spencer knew that Ashley would have known not to do that in public. And in another flash of time, Spencer was out of the car and heading towards her first class, really quickly. For once, math might be helpful in clearing her mind.

"Miss Davies, I assume that you have a good reason for being late." It was second hour when Ashley appeared on the school grounds. She rolled her eyes before turning to face her teacher again. The brunette, well, this wasn't her first time being late, and she knew how to handle a situation like this delicately.

"I was sick." She waved the pass in the air before settling it down on his desk. He frowned at it for a moment before realizing that it was a pass directly from the office, which meant that she had, indeed, turned in a notice that was good. Her mom was good about leaving notes, already filled out, around the house. Her mom wasn't home enough during the week to truly know if she was sick or not, so when Ashley was old enough, her mom just left a few notes on the table, in case they were ever needed. Ashley abused the privilege of the notes at times, but it's not like her mom really cared anyway. That's why the automatically filled out notes were there already to use at her disposal. And that's why she overcame her case of food poisoning so soon, soon enough to be able to come back to school in the same morning. At least, that's what the note said. Why her mother left notes stating that Ashley had food poisoning…Well, that, Ashley could not answer.

The teacher took another glance at it before nodding. It wasn't the first time that she had been ill in the morning, and he assumed that it wouldn't be the last. Of course, as long as she had a legitimate pass, it wasn't his problem.

"Mr. Dennison, I assume that you have a good reason as well?" Aiden strolled in just as Ashley had sat down in her seat. She told Aiden that they couldn't walk into class together, because it would look suspicious. Leave it to him to walk in just a couple of minutes later. He wasn't as smooth as she was at this kind of thing.

"Uh, I, uh…slept in." He was definitely not as smooth. Aiden had a forged note that he handed directly to the teacher. He didn't bother with the office, because he knew that one of his mother's friends worked there, and there was no way that he could get the note past her, in his handwriting. The teacher frowned again at this note.

"So, it says." The teacher inspected it for several moments, suspecting it to be a fake, but he shrugged and sat it down on his desk anyway. They didn't pay him enough to deal with having to examine notes that well. "Sit down then, Mr. Dennison, so we can resume class. That is, after all, what class is for." Aiden nodded his head, before he headed towards his seat in the back, with a few of the other guys that he talked to.

Spencer watched suspiciously as Ashley walked into the classroom. Ashley was definitely not sick, and Spencer spent the five minutes while Ashley talked to the teacher, trying to figure out what was really going on. Then, Aiden had walked in. Oh. It clicked in Spencer's mind as to why they were both late. Aiden lied his way through being late, and Spencer noticed that as well. Aiden never was a good liar. They had obviously been together last night, and now…they were late together. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize, at least partly, as to why the couple had been late. Spencer's mind couldn't concentrate the rest of the period. Tonight, she wouldn't understand the new chemistry she had learned either. That was completely Ashley's fault. She glanced at the brunette and frowned, slouching lower in her seat. The blonde wasn't going to let Ashley get to her.

Ashley could feel someone's eyes on the back of her head during chemistry, so she turned around to look at the blonde behind her. "What?" She whispered fiercely as the teacher wrote more notes on the board.

Spencer ignored her, and suddenly seemed intensely focused on the empty piece of notebook paper in front of her. She hadn't taken any notes since Ashley had walked in the door. "What?" The brunette repeated her question again, and then Spencer finally looked up.

"Nothing," the blonde was being obviously stubborn.

"Then stop staring at me." The brunette hissed her reply before turning around in her seat.

The blonde scowled and leaned forward in her seat before reaching the girl in front of her. "I can't help it. You do sit right in front of me."

Ashley tried to ignore the way that Spencer's breath felt hot and heavy on her ear, and the way that she just wanted to turn around and kiss her because of the way it felt. "You don't have to talk to me." The brunette noticed the hurt register in the blonde's eyes at her new remark, and instantly felt bad. "I don't mean it like that."

"Like what?" Spencer was instantly in denial that Ashley knew how she felt.

"Like how you're taking it." Like it or not, both girls knew that Ashley knew how Spencer was taking it, and it was not in a good way.

"I'm not taking it like anything." Spencer shrugged her shoulders, as she glanced up front. Their chemistry teacher was still going on about his precious notes, and their assignment for today. Okay, that assignment, Spencer had done. She could not focus for a few more minutes.

"You're the one who doesn't want to answer my calls." Ashley didn't mean for that phrase to slip out, but by the time it had, it was too late to take it back.

"I talked to you last night." Spencer suddenly looked puzzled, and Ashley couldn't figure out why that would be. After all, Spencer had hung up on her without saying a word.

"The call after that." Ashley tried to jog Spencer's memory.

"Call after that?" Again, Spencer looked puzzled, and Ashley did now too, actually.

"You hung up…or turned off your phone or something." Ashley rambled on for a moment, hoping that something would register. Well, she was also hoping that something wouldn't register. Even now, neither girl would lie to the other. There were simply feelings there that couldn't be shared. Spencer was with Kelly, and Ashley was with Aiden.

"No, I didn't." Spencer shook her head, as she explained that she only had her phone the once the night before when Ashley called. Ashley began to realize that Spencer wasn't the one who hung up on her, and she wondered who it could be. It had to either be Kelly or Paula. Spencer began to realize that Kelly must have had control of the phone at the time, if Ashley was telling the truth, and that would mean that Kelly was purposely keeping them apart. She'd have to ask her at lunch. Before she could ask Ashley about Aiden, the teacher stopped writing on the board.

"Miss Davies and Miss Carlin, if you wish to continue talking, then you will have to do so in detention this afternoon. Do you both understand?" The girls agreed that they understood, and sheepishly turned their attention back to the board for the last three minutes of class.

It seemed to take forever for lunch to arrive, and both girls were still avoiding each other hesitantly. They didn't know what to think after the fight the night before. They were each supposed to be with someone else, but why did it still feel like they had a closer connection? It was confusing both of them.

"Hey Spencer," Kelly called after she parked her car. "How is my favorite girl?" Spencer smiled at her.

"Hey Kelly," Spencer replied before she felt Kelly's lips on her own again. She loved to kiss the girl, but she really didn't understand what Spencer was comfortable with in public. "Not here, Kelly," she began when she noticed Aiden and Ashley talking to each other.

"Ashley, we have to talk about this morning." Aiden began as he ran a hand through his hair. He was still confused, and Ashley kept avoiding his questions.

"We talked this morning," Ashley pointed out.

"No, you talked. I just listened. I have some thoughts on certain things too, you know." Ashley kept herself from rolling her eyes.

"I know you have thoughts, babe. We'll talk about them, I promise, but right now?" She looked at him pleadingly, but he didn't give into her puppy dog looks. He wanted to talk about what had happened between them that morning right then, and he wasn't going to let her change the subject.

"Yes, right now." He crossed his arms, and Ashley looked to the side, wondering how to get out of a feelings conversation. She hated conversations like that. Just then, she saw that Kelly had started kissing Spencer. They stopped for a minute, and Spencer noticed Ashley looking at them. Crap.

Ashley tried to hide her jealousy, but it was obvious to Spencer. Spencer looked curiously at the brunette, trying to read her, and Ashley couldn't handle it. Spencer wanted Kelly, and it wouldn't help things any if Spencer knew that Ashley still wanted her. So, Ashley did the only thing she could think of that would solve both of her problems, or perhaps just make them worse. She kissed Aiden. Aiden stopped talking about feelings, and he kissed Ashley back. Spencer stopped staring, and instead focused her attention back on Kelly whose mouth was still moving, but she didn't hear any of the words coming out.


	18. Chapter 18

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-ish. There's slight language.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Okay, I own Neil and Brock, but they aren't in this chapter anyway. They live at the bowling alley, only. Also, in this chapter, there is a girl named Nikki. She's not part of the original cast of S.O.N. either.)

Feedback: Thanks to everyone who sends it. I really appreciate it, and would love getting some for this chapter.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Here's the next section of my story. It ended up being on the long side, but a longer update is okay, I decided, because I didn't want to break this part into sections. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Please read and respond. Thanks!

* * *

Ashley pulled out of the kiss while trying to gauge Spencer's reaction. Spencer had her back turned away from Ashley and towards Kelly, so it was hard to read her reaction. "Ashley, we still have to talk." Aiden was still talking apparently, so Ashley felt obligated to pay him a little bit of attention. They were friends, after all.

"Huh," she was responded but still wasn't paying attention. "What do we need to talk about?

"Us," Aiden answered as he tried to turn to block out the brunette's view of the blonde. He knew that he was never going to get anything through her mind if she kept looking at her while they were talking.

"Us?" There, he blocked the brunette's view successfully, and now she was paying him at least a little bit of attention.

"You said someone else's name this morning when we were kissing." Aiden decided to get right down to the point, and let her know what was wrong. He wasn't sure how long he could hold her attention at the moment.

"I can't talk while I kiss. I'm not that talented." Ashley seemed to contemplate her talents involving kissing for a moment and she stared off into space before shaking her head. Apparently, she had to check to make sure that she couldn't talk and kiss at the same time.

"Okay, you moaned it, whatever the hell you want to call it. You said Spencer, not Aiden. Spencer." Aiden felt weird mentioning this, but it was obvious that it was the only way that Ashley was going to own up to it.

"Oh…" Ashley trailed off, and she suddenly became interested in her bracelet. Right. She had said, er, moaned, Spencer's name this morning. It had been weird kissing Aiden, and when she closed her eyes she could almost imagine that it wasn't him. Okay, so in this image Spencer had scruff, but Aiden was familiar. She knew what it was like to be with him, so kissing him wasn't that awkward, and the thoughts about Spencer helped. Just, when she went to kiss him after a few moments, she felt the words coming out, and she knew that something was wrong. Ashley realized that the wrong name had been uttered, and she tried to ignore it; Aiden couldn't. He knew that her heart wasn't in it, and that he was probably just for comfort, so that she didn't think about Spencer, like anything helped that anyway, but that drew the line for him. He was not going to listen to her talk about her should-be girlfriend.

"Yeah," Aiden mumbled feeling awkward, but determined to press on.

"Spencer!" Aiden's hope was fleeting because about twenty seconds later, Kelly was heard shouting Spencer's name.

"Spencer!" This time the shout was from Ashley, who had maneuvered around Aiden to see Spencer running off. Spencer had been watching Ashley and Aiden as much as she could, and now she couldn't handle listening to Kelly anymore. She was talking about their relationship, and Spencer was thinking about someone else. The someone else was over there, having just made out with someone else. A guy someone else named Aiden. It was too much. "I have to go." Ashley tore her eyes away from Spencer to look at Aiden fully.

"What? But we're talking." Aiden tried to look grumpy, but he knew that it was a lost battle. Ashley just gave him a knowing look, and he shrugged before looking serious again. "I'm just the rebound skank, aren't I?"

"Um…yeah…" Ashley looked thoughtful for a moment, and tried her best not to look for Spencer again. Aiden deserved that much. "It's not you're fault. You really are fun, but you're not for me. I mean, physically and mentally not for me."

"She is?" He gestured towards the fleeting blonde figure, and Ashley nodded.

"Definitely," for the first time this whole conversation, Ashley grinned.

"Fine." He sighed. "I'll be the re-bound skank. Just go get the girl." He pointed towards Spencer once more, releasing Ashley from their conversation.

"You are such a cliché." Ashley chuckled at her friend, and they shared a smile. Then, she was running after Spencer.

"I'm…" Aiden began, but after his first word he stopped as he noticed a girl walk by. Well, that definitely worked as a distraction for him. He let Ashley go run after Spencer. "Why, hello. You're in my history class aren't you?" She was a few inches shorter than him, with shoulder length blonde hair.

"No," she replied before even glancing at him. The girl's name was Nikki, and he was sure that he'd seen her around campus a few times. She must be in one of his classes, and the class obviously wasn't history.

"Math?" He guessed as he looked at her closely. She had blue, almost gray, eyes, and seemed determined not to look at him.

"No," she replied again, and luckily actually looked at him this time. He smiled.

"Chemistry?" He was going to run out of classes soon if she wasn't in one of these.

"Actually, I think so. Last semester." She slowed her pace for a moment and threw him a smile.

Hah, jackpot. "Huh, I knew that we had some chemistry between us." Okay, so his line was corny, but he thought it was worth a shot. She noticed the corniness, and threw him an exasperated look. She really didn't need to deal with him right now when she had a chemistry test next hour, but at least he had a cute sense of humor.

"You're completely right. This does mean that I should walk you to class…to chemistry?" He nodded his head, although she had not said another word to him yet, as he began officially walking her to class. Luckily, they were going towards his locker, and he was sure that she would wait while he grabbed his books quick.

She nodded. "Great," he replied. Aiden realized that he had, in fact, already gone to chemistry once that day…but maybe the teacher wouldn't mind. He would just think that Aiden needed a little extra help on today's assignment. Thank God for study hall during the same hour as Nikki's chemistry.

"You know, I've seen you on the basketball court." Nikki admitted that she was a fan of basketball as he grabbed his books from his locker.

"Oh yeah?" Aiden allowed a small smirk to begin on his face as he looked at the girl.

"Yeah," she smiled. "You're really good." The smirk emerged into a full-fledged grin. Definitely jackpot.

"You don't even go to school here." Ashley frowned at Kelly as they both reached the school doors, and the school security that was meandering around. "She doesn't go to school." Ashley pointed at her as the woman walked towards them. The security woman frowned.

"Can I see your school I.D.?"

"I, uh, don't go here." Kelly mumbled for lack of anything else to try to get through the security woman. Stupid large schools and their security and protection programs.

"And you?" The security woman turned to look at Ashley.

"Hey, hey." Ashley raised her hands in surrender and almost mock-defense. "You see me every morning." she pulled her I.D. out of her pocket and flashed it.

"Okay." The woman nodded at Ashley, who proceeded to enter the school again. "Well, you are going to have to leave. You can't enter here." She blocked the door as Kelly tried to look by her, and perhaps enter it. The security guard wasn't going to let it happen.

"Spencer!" Ashley whispered fiercely as she caught up to the blonde girl again.

"Ashley, leave me alone." Spencer wiped frantically at a tear, trying to avoid letting Ashley see it. She saw it.

"Spence, come on, we have to talk." Ashley wasn't willing to give up, and before they knew it, they realized that they were in the girls' locker room. It seemed an appropriate place to have a conversation that Spencer knew that she couldn't get out of.

"No, we don't." It didn't stop her from trying though.

"Please?" Ashley pouted a face that she knew that even an angry Spencer couldn't ignore.

"What do you want?" Spencer looked at Ashley, and she knew that her face was probably giving her away right about then. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy; she had been crying. It was more than just the single tear, and that's why it had taken her a little while to get inside because the security woman wanted to be sure that she was truly okay before she left her alone. That's why Ashley was able to catch up to her so easily after Ashley talked to Aiden.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Ashley began her apologies, but was soon interrupted by Spencer.

"Is that all? Can I go now?" Spencer looked impatient, and she looked faintly like she might cry again. And suddenly, Ashley felt all the worse, and felt all the more need to explain herself to the blonde.

"What? No, that's not all." Ashley reached out to cautiously touch Spencer's elbow. She jerked away. "Spence, it's not what you think."

"You weren't just making out with Aiden?" Okay, so Ashley would have to admit that that part was true.

"It's not entirely what you think." Ashley tried to simply rephrase her question.

"You weren't late this morning because you were making out with Aiden?" Okay, again, Spencer was right, but Ashley wasn't going to let this go so easily. She wasn't going to let Spencer go so easily.

"Okay, so the reasons behind this are different anyway." There, that was a true statement that Spencer couldn't argue with.

"You didn't want to," Spencer paused to take a breath and look away from Ashley for a moment. She couldn't say the words 'have sex' when it came to Ashley and Aiden together. So, she skipped a few words. "…with Aiden?"

"No," Ashley vehemently shook her head. She knew what Spencer implied with her silence. She knew what the unspoken words were. "No!"

"So what was it?" Spencer still didn't understand Ashley's reasoning for kissing Aiden then. Though, Ashley didn't even completely understand her own reasoning for kissing the guy either.  
"I missed you." It was short. It was simple. It was true.

"That's why you did that?" Spencer looked even more confused as she regarded the brunette with curiosity.

"No, I mean. Yes?" Even the ever-so-smooth Ashley didn't know how to regard that question. "I wanted to make you jealous." She decided that honesty really is the best policy.

"That's screwed up, Ash." Spencer whispered as she looked away from the other girl, trying to comprehend all of what was going on. She was suddenly thankful for no gym classes that hour, which meant that they would have the whole period to themselves in the locker room to talk. Of course, they were missing their class, but it was worth it, if they could understand what the other meant, what the other girl wanted.

"I know, but, I can't help it okay? I'm not used to this kind of a feeling." Ashley leaned her head back in the air for a moment, trying to gather all of her words. She wanted to say this properly. "I was with Aiden this morning, and not with him in the way you're thinking. We were just kissing, and then, I, uh…" Ashley trailed off for a moment, before again deciding that the truth was her best chance at this point. It was her only chance.

"I kind of said your name. That's when I realized that no matter how hard I tried to just ignore the fact and the feelings that were growing in me, they weren't going to just go away. You weren't just going to go away just because I saw you with Kelly." Ashley finished, and she tried to stop the tears that were threatening to run down her face. She stopped all but one; that one she wiped viciously at.

"I've never really been with Kelly. I mean, I was kissing her. I've kissed her yes, but we were never dating, and I never called her that day. That was apparently my mom's doing, when she let in Kelly, but she didn't let in you." Spencer was quick to correct Ashley's thoughts. She did believe Ashley.

"And although I tried to block you out of my head by kissing Aiden. It doesn't work. You can't turn a girl straight. Believe me, I tried. Kissing him really doesn't work after…" Ashley trailed off again, and bit off her troubled chuckle before it came out. She didn't want to say what she had almost said. She didn't want to sound stupid.

"After what?" Spencer was serious, and Ashley suddenly realized that Spencer wasn't going to laugh at what she had to say, well she might, but not in a vicious way. The look in the blonde's eyes egged the brunette on.

"After I know what kissing you is like. Kissing you is like…everything inside of me feels real, and everything seems so awake and alive. It's like, everything in the world is finally right, and for a while I couldn't understand what that feeling felt like. What that feeling was." Ashley struggled for a minute to think of the right words to display how she felt, and she finally felt like maybe she found the right words.

"You better not be talking about heartburn." The blonde managed to find humor in all of this serious feeling talk, and she raised her eyebrow. Her left eyebrow. At Ashley.

"I'm not talking about heartburn," Ashley shook her head, still being serious until she saw the smile playing on the blonde's lips. "And that sounded like something I'd say. Why, Spencer, am I rubbing off on you? I do think I am." The brunette paused again, smiling, raising her left eyebrow at the blonde.

"I love you, Spencer. That's what I was talking about. That's what I'm feeling. It might have taken me a while to realize this exactly, but I realize it now. Just please don't tell me it's too late for me to be having an epiphany." The brunette turned back to being serious. She had to say what she finally felt, or else it was going to be too late. She was going to lose Spencer.

"Ashley Davies used the word epiphany? The world is ending." Suddenly, Spencer seemed to adopt Ashley's sense of quirky humor, and her want to avoid anything too serious or deep.

"The world doesn't matter right now. You matter." Ashley reached out to touch Spencer's arm again, and this time the blonde didn't wiggle away.

"But if there is not world then I don't exist." Spencer was still trying to lighten the mood. Spencer didn't want to cry again. If the mood was too heavy, too deep; she would cry again. Her attempts at lightheartedness were in vain once Ashley started talking again.

"The world matters then, but just because you matter. Spencer, is it too late?" The tears just had to stay away long enough for Spencer to answer the brunette.


	19. Chapter 19

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-13ish. There's slight language and slight sexual content.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Okay, I own Neil and Brock, but they aren't in this chapter anyway. They live at the bowling alley, only. Also, Nikki, is not part of the cast of S.O.N. She's there for Aiden's sake.

Feedback: I really want to thank everyone who sends it (and I apologize if it takes me a while to reply to anyone who has asked questions in her/his review; it takes me a while to reply to those sometimes, sorry if it does.) I would love to get some feedback for this chapter too.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Here's the next section of my story (obviously). This is as everything between Spencer and Ashley build up to a climax. Just how much can a girl really handle? Enjoy.

* * *

Spencer looked at her friend begrudgingly. Too late. Ashley had asked her if it was too late. "Too late for what?" The blonde looked at the other girl for a moment, blinking back the still emerging tears. She would get through this without shedding any more tears. She refused to cry again for Ashley.

"For us to be together!" Ashley shouted incredulously. She knew that Spencer knew what she had been talking about originally; it wasn't that hard to figure out.

Spencer just looked at the brunette sadly. Ashley loved Spencer, so she decided to make-out with her ex-boyfriend. That screwed with Spencer's mind, and she didn't like it. Okay, so Spencer had also over-reacted when Ashley had not been allowed into her house to see her; so, they never got to have their talk about whether or not they were dating. That's another thing; Mrs. Carlin hated Ashley. So, Ashley would have to be willing to work hard to get her to accept her as Spencer's friend, let alone when they decided to come out to her. Spencer wasn't sure if Ashley was willing to do that.

"Ashley, you went and made-out with Aiden because you thought that I was going to be with Kelly." Spencer looked at the other girl, and pushed her straight blonde hair back behind her ears. If she was going to cry, she refused to let it get in her hair. Actually, no. She still refused to cry. Not again. Not over her.

"Well, you were!" Ashley looked at the blonde. Luckily, the girl's locker rooms were pretty solid, because she was getting pretty loud. The locker rooms had to be pretty solid because every sports team seemed to like to blast music before they went out to play. It was supposed to pump them up for the game, or something like that. Ashley wasn't completely sure.

"Not until after I talked to you, and Aiden made it pretty clear that you two were going to be together." Spencer smirked as she talked to the girl. She was definitely right on this part, and she wasn't wavering.

"But," Ashley began before getting interrupted.

"No, Ashley. There's no excuses for this. You screwed up. You went and had to try to be with your ex-boyfriend because you thought that I was going to be with someone else. You didn't trust me." It was simple. There had to be trust between the two girls, and if Ashley didn't have it for Spencer…Well, it wasn't going to work. Just like Spencer's idea of not crying wasn't going to work. There was already a tear working it's way down her cheek that she swiped at before Ashley noticed.

"You didn't believe me that I had gone to visit you that day; you listened to your mom." Ashley was too focused on keeping her own tears back to notice the blonde's lone tear, and soon a similar one flowed down Ashley's face. She didn't bother to swipe at it this time though. If she let it go, perhaps more wouldn't follow.

"You were the only thing that I really did believe in." Spencer let her honesty show through in her voice, and Ashley opened her mouth to speak a few times before her jaws and vocal cords seemed to work together in alliance.

"Did? Past tense?" There, Ashley blinked back a few more tears.

"You didn't even realize how much I meant to you until Aiden wanted to talk to you about me, did you? That's what he wanted to talk to you about isn't it, when I saw you two talking? About me. He knew how you felt about me before you did." Spencer shook her head. Ashley just didn't understand. She wasn't cut out for this relationship stuff.

"I knew before he did! I was the one who wanted to talk to you at the club, when you were all over Kelly." Ashley reminded Spencer of the first night that they kissed on the beach.

"That was the day that you were all over Glen!" Oh, and Spencer seemed to remember the day just as well.

"And you were all over Aiden!" That was before their kiss, but it was still part of the day that they were reminiscing about. Some moments of the day were fond, and some were sore spots for either and both girls.

"Guess that's changed now, huh? You're the one all over Aiden." Spencer flashed them back up to reality, and the more recent happenings between the two girls and their other admirers.

"We're not going to dive back into that mess. We cleared that up that night." Ashley shook her head, pushing her point that they were to not delve back into those ideas, those thoughts.

"Fine," Spencer stated simply, blinking stupidly at the white wall in front of her. She had turned away from Ashley because she wasn't sure what else to say. She wasn't sure how else to try to figure out if Ashley was serious this time; if Ashley was ready for a relationship.

"Yeah, well, what about now, Spencer? Do you still have more questions, more comments to sling at me without taking any of the blame for yourself? You were kissing Kelly, Spence. I wasn't the only one trying to disappear and sink into someone else." Ashley apparently had her own problems with what Spencer had done.

"I never said that you were the only one! I admit it. I tried to be with Kelly. It didn't work okay. Is that what you wanted to hear? That when I fell asleep with Kelly at my place, the whole night I dreamed about you even though I had her sleeping next to me. Is that what you wanted to hear, Ashley?" Spencer's eyes were red-rimmed again, and the tears had started creeping silently down her cheeks.

"You did?" Ashley looked flabbergasted for a moment as she stared at the blonde.

"No, I just made that all up." Spencer had a bitter and obviously sarcastic tone to her voice. The biting edge of it made Ashley flinch mentally and physically.

"Spence, come on. I didn't mean it like that; you know it. I told Aiden that I wasn't into him. He was just a distraction. He was my re-bound girl, and that's pathetic. He's not a very good looking girl, and he's already chasing some other girl anyway. I love you, and I don't want to screw this up anymore. I want this to be right for once." Ashley looked at the other girl pleadingly. She chose to take that moment to wipe a few stray tears from the blonde's cheek. In return, the blonde turned to face her again.

"Is she a cheerleader?" Out of everything that Ashley had said, Spencer picked up on the notion of Aiden finding something else. After Ashley checked Spencer's face for any signs of joking or comedic sense that might lay in the question; she shrugged, smiling, before choosing to answer.

"Um, I don't think so actually. She doesn't look like the type though. She'd push Madison's buttons too much." She looked at Spencer's face again, trying to read Spencer's mind.

"Like you?" Spencer smiled, the harsh tone gone. She was obviously trying to be light-hearted again, and Ashley was suddenly grateful for her odd sense of humor.

"Yeah, like me." Ashley paused for a moment, thinking. "Though, you've gotten pretty good at it lately too."

"Yeah…I have, haven't I?" She smiled thinking of her own sense of wit, before continuing. "She just has to date my brother…" She frowned, and held in the silent snarl that wanted to be let out. Spencer really didn't like Madison's idiotic and pointless comments and crude gestures towards Ashley and herself when they were together somewhere. Yet, this was the girl that made Glen happy. Glen sure had a weird personality taste in girls, but to each their own.

"Spence, as much as I like to talk about Madison. No, wait. I don't like to talk about Madison; scratch that. Does that mean that we're…" Ashley looked thoughtful again for a moment, and it was obvious to Spencer that another question was looming. This one was probably going to be deeper, and Spencer might have to think about it before answering. But, Ashley was willing to give her as long as needed to answer, or she was willing to give her until the girls for the next gym class began wandering in to change. They still had a few minutes. "Is it too late," she turned to look at Spencer's reaction before continuing, "…for us to be together?"

The blonde looked at the brunette for a moment, stunned. She didn't have to think too hard on this question after all. She knew her answer and her feelings. "Damn it, Ashley. Can't you see that we're already together? Right now. Right here."

"But I mean," Ashley was afraid that Spencer was taking the too-literal approach again.

"You know exactly what I mean, and it's not literally. I know that you want the truth right now, and you want answers. This is your answer. This is the truth." With that, Spencer let herself live in the moment; she let herself do what she had been wanting to do this whole conversation, as the feelings built up inside each girl. Spencer kissed Ashley with all the feeling she had in her lithe little body. All feelings had to reach a climax, and this was a damned good one.

Ashley took the opportunity to kiss Spencer back. At first, the kiss was soft, soothing, but it soon turned into a deeper kiss, and Ashley braced her left arm against the locker room wall, and her right was cradling Spencer's neck. Both of Spencer's arms had slipped around Ashley's waist, as both girls let themselves go into the kiss for a few minutes longer. "Can we just go on from here?" Spencer managed to mutter once the kiss had ended, and both girls tried to catch their breath.

"We can go on from here." Ashley agreed, grinning back at the other girl, as her forehead pressed against the blonde's. They'd have to deal with other people, like Madison, soon, but right now, they were more concerned with each other. Of course, before they even had to deal with Madison, they had to be willing to leave each other to go to their next classes before the next group of girls sauntered in innocently for gym class.


	20. Chapter 20

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-13ish. There's slight language and slight sexual content.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Okay, I own Neil and Brock, but they aren't in this chapter anyway. They live at the bowling alley, only. Also, Nikki, is not part of the cast of S.O.N. She's there for Aiden's sake)

Feedback: Thank you to everyone who sends it. I love getting feedback. It encourages me to update, I admit it.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, Gasp This is the final chapter of the story. It's been a little while, but I have to say, I've had fun writing it…and I appreciate any feedback that you guys/girls may have about it, now that it is over. Also, I had two endings in mind for this story, and I flickered back and forth, unsure of which to use. So…I made it simple. I wrote two endings. One is full of angst, and the other is, well, happy and slightly fluffy. You'll figure out which one you're reading by the end, I promise. If there are people who wish to read the other alternate ending, just let me know, and I'll post that too. Enjoy!

* * *

"Oh look, it's the wannabe cheer queer." Madison snickered as she walked into the locker room noticing the back of the blonde's head around the corner as she walked in. She failed to notice that Spencer was otherwise occupied with Ashley, whose lips were pressed against Spencer's until Madison walked in. She didn't need to see their own little show. "Or, from the looks of it…The queer part isn't a wannabe act." Her friends joined in on her snickering this time.

Of course, this is when she noticed who Spencer was with. Ashley. They were both standing facing Madison and her fellow cheer bitches, mussed up hair, red and puffy lips from kissing and all. "Aw, how gross. She's not the world's loneliest lesbian anymore."

"And look who's still alone, Madison. That'd be you." Ashley smirked as Spencer tried to smooth down her own hair. "Still mad that your ex prefers us over you, huh?" The first remark didn't bother Madison, but the second one stung. She was still rather touchy about the Aiden subject. Let alone that he had dated two lesbians right after they had broken up.

"At least I don't sneak off to girl's locker rooms to make out with some skank." Madison's eyes widened a bit in anger, before she had managed her own comeback.

"Bitch," Ashley snarled, unsure of whether she or Spencer had been called a skank. Either way, it made her lunge at the other girl. She shoved her, and then Madison was suddenly shoving her back, and hair was being pulled, and fists were being thrown. It was not a girl fight in the way that most think of the word. Yes, there was the hair pulling, but it was punches being thrown at times, not just slaps.

"Ash, come on." Spencer muttered as she tried to tug her girlfriend away from the other girl. Madison's closest friends were trying to hold Madison back as well.

"Yeah, control your lesbian lover, Spencer. Or…Are you just waiting to see if she hits on Aiden again?" Madison sneered as Spencer had finally dragged an infuriated Ashley off of the cheerleader.

Spencer scowled at her, but Ashley couldn't help herself, and punched the cheerleader. "Ashley!" Spencer shouted at the same time that Madison's friends were trying to pull the two girls apart again. Ashley wasn't listening, and the blonde got impatient. She realized that there were always going to be people reacting like this. Madison. Her brother. The other kids in school. Random people who realized they were a couple on the street. Her mother. Oh my God. Her mother.

Paula never had anything decent to say about being lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Which meant, in Spencer's mind, that Paula would never have anything decent to think about her own daughter. Her own mother would hate her for what she was, for who she loved. That wasn't right. Spencer burst out of the locker room, trying to hold back her tears. Damn it. She had promised that she wasn't going to cry and yet, here she was.

A few seconds after Spencer left the locker room, Ashley untangled herself from the mass of cheer breeders as they tried to get at Madison, to see if she was okay. The brunette didn't care about them, so she chose the easy decision, to find Spencer. It wasn't hard to locate the blonde because she hadn't wandered far. "Spence?" Ashley asked hesitantly. She ignored her. "Spencer, what's wrong? Is it that I hit Ashley again? I'm sorry. I was trying to control it, I really was, but she's just such a…Such a…"

"She's a bitch, I know that Ashley." Spencer finished her girlfriend's sentence and turned to look her straight in the eyes.

"Then what's wrong?" Ashley was confused. Spencer was hot and cold. One minute she had her arms wrapped around Ashley's waist, pulling the brunette in for another kiss, and the next minute, she was crying again, running away from the brunette.

Spencer sighed and wiped away her own tears. "I'm sorry. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry again, not over…" Spencer stopped herself from finishing her own sentence. Ashley wasn't supposed to know about the promise that she had made herself.

"Not over what? Not over me, Spencer? Did you promise yourself that you wouldn't cry over me?" Spencer looked aghast at Ashley for a moment before nodding. Ashley knew her too well. Ashley saw the blonde's head nod, and she immediately bit her lip to keep herself from crying. Her girlfriend had cried about her so much that she had promised she never would again. "What a great start to a relationship." Ashley muttered, and Spencer reached for the brunette's hand. They were lucky that the gym was the only thing in this area, and the cheer breeders would be busy with Madison, so they wouldn't wander back out until after the warning bell had rung. The two girls just had to be willing to move before the rest of the students made their way this way to their classes. They had a few minutes. "That's just it." Spencer paused to take a breath and to stop another tear that was making its way out of her left eye and hanging precariously on her cheek. "We can't have a relationship."

"You just want to be friends?" Ashley looked forlorn, but she knew that there was a fate worse than just friendship with the person you love. She'd rather have that than nothing, and eventually, Spencer may come to turns with being gay.

"I can't just be friends with you." Spencer shook her head. Ashley just didn't understand. She needed to understand.

"That's why we can date." Ashley slowly explained things to Spencer, who still shook her head.

"No," Spencer stated simply. Simple was best. Simple was elegant. Simple was not easy.

"We can go however fast or slow you need to go. I promise." Ashley couldn't believe this. They had just started dating, and already she was losing her girlfriend. It wasn't fair.

"No, Ashley. We can't. I can't." Spencer didn't bother to wipe at the new tear that made its course down her cheek, this time from her right eye.

"Is this about the fighting thing? I'll work on it. I'll ignore Madison. I'll…Spencer what do you want?" Ashley was ready to plead with the blonde. She loved her. She'd do anything. Anything.

"To be away from you." Spencer said it simply, and tried to say it like she meant it, but each of the girls knew that she was lying.

"I love you." Ashley was crying now, and the girls were suddenly together again. They were kissing, and they didn't care that they were in the school. It was their most passionate kiss; it was their kiss most filled with distress and sorrow. They broke apart as the need for air became insistent, and Spencer smoothed a piece of hair back behind Ashley's ear. It was their final kiss, a good-bye kiss, even though they'd see each other every day after this day in school; they wouldn't really see each other clearly anymore.

"I love you too, Ashley. That's what we can't be together." Spencer wanted to keep things simple, but nothing was simple. "I've never met anyone more like me than myself. I've never loved anyone more than I love you."

"And you said that I was screwed up?" Ashley was so confused, and Spencer just gave her a look. "Sorry, fucked up." Ashley changed the word, and Spencer felt even worse, but she felt that this had to be done. They couldn't have a relationship together. It wasn't right in people's eyes. In her mother's eyes.

"My mom would never approve." That was simple to say.

"So this is all about your mom?" Ashley looked incredulously at the blonde.

"No, it's about us. We'd always be the odd couple out. Everyone else would be a guy and a girl when we'd have family picnics or whatever, and I'd be the one who would be bringing a girlfriend." Spencer tried to explain herself, but it still made no sense to Ashley.

"So would Glen and Clay." It was true. They'd bring girlfriends to picnics. They had before.

"Ashley, that's not the same thing. You know that." Spencer shook her head sadly, and reached for the brunette's elbow. The brunette jerked out the way, and in turn, she smashed her elbow on the locker behind her, but she ignored her throbbing elbow and the pained look in the blonde's eyes.

"I do?" Ashley understood that it was different, but she didn't see how that mattered.

"Yes, you do. I love you, and I don't want to hurt you. I know that eventually something would happen, and my mother or my brother…or, I don't know. A random person on the street would say something, do something, and then everyone would look at us. They would know, and we wouldn't be able to change that. We'd have to deal with the discrimination all the time. I'd have to deal with my mother after that." Spencer tried her best to explain herself, but it all just came back to her mother.

"So, this is about your mother?" Ashley shook her head sadly as the bell rang, and people milled out into the hall. Lots of people, including Glen and Clay.

"No," Spencer paused, considering her answer, and she decided to be completely honest. "Yes. I have to live with her Ashley. I can't live with her like this. She won't let me, at least not happily. I'm sorry, Ashley. You have no idea." Ashley had more than an idea, but she knew that she couldn't change Spencer's mind anymore, not now. There were too many people around, and there always would be.

"But, you said that you love me, Spencer. What else matters?" Ashley hoped for one last chance, but the people were distracting. They were listening, and Spencer couldn't let that happen.

"Everything matters." Spencer bit her lip, and she whispered her next sentence. "I don't love you, Ashley."

"You do," and the tears flowed from Ashley's eyes freely now. She was too far gone to stop them.

"I don't love you." There was a bitter sorrow in Spencer's voice before she turned and fled through the crowd. Ashley stood there for a moment longer.

"What the hell are you looking at?" She glared at them without really seeing any of them, their faces were all blurred together. Aiden reached and touched Nikki's hand. She nodded because she understood that he was friends with the other girl still. She wasn't going to lose him to her. So, he went to his friend, Ashley. She needed him right now, and he would show her that they were still friends. They always would be. Together, the two of them left the group as well. There was nothing left to see anymore.


	21. Chapter 21

Title: Just Tell Me What You Want

Rating: This chapter is probably only PG-13ish. There's slight language and slight sexual content.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. (Okay, I own Neil and Brock, but they aren't in this chapter anyway. They live at the bowling alley, only. Also, Nikki, is not part of the cast of S.O.N. She's there for Aiden's sake)

Feedback: Thank you to everyone who sends it. I love getting feedback. It encourages me to update, I admit it.

Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.

Author's Notes: Okay, thank you to everyone who sent feedback on the other last chapter; I'm hoping for some more from this chapter, I admit it. And, I realized that the final angst chapter of Spashley might not make some people too happy...but no worry. That's why there are ALTERNATE endings. So, you know, this is not a continuation of chapter 20, but it is an alternate ending, which could be used instead of chapter twenty. Mmm...Fluffy. Enjoy :) (Please let me know your thoughts.)

* * *

"Oh look, it's the wannabe cheer queer." Madison snickered as she walked into the locker room noticing the back of the blonde's head around the corner as she walked in. She failed to notice that Spencer was otherwise occupied with Ashley, whose lips were pressed against Spencer's until Madison walked in. She didn't need to see their own little show. "Or, from the looks of it…The queer part isn't a wannabe act." Her friends joined in on her snickering this time.

Of course, this is when she noticed who Spencer was with. Ashley. They were both standing facing Madison and her fellow cheer bitches, mussed up hair, red and puffy lips from kissing and all. "Aw, how gross. She's not the world's loneliest lesbian anymore."

"And look who's still alone, Madison. That'd be you." Ashley smirked as Spencer tried to smooth down her own hair. "Still mad that your ex prefers us over you, huh?" The first remark didn't bother Madison, but the second one stung. She was still rather touchy about the Aiden subject. Let alone that he had dated two lesbians right after they had broken up.

"At least I don't sneak off to girl's locker rooms to make out with some skank." Madison's eyes widened a bit in anger, before she had managed her own comeback.

"Bitch," Ashley snarled, unsure of whether she or Spencer had been called a skank. Either way, it made her lunge at the other girl. She shoved her, and then Madison was suddenly shoving her back, and hair was being pulled, and fists were being thrown. It was not a girl fight in the way that most think of the word. Yes, there was the hair pulling, but it was punches being thrown at times, not just slaps.

"Ash, come on." Spencer muttered as she tried to tug her girlfriend away from the other girl. Madison's closest friends were trying to hold Madison back as well.

"Yeah, control your lesbian lover, Spencer. Or…Are you just waiting to see if she hits on Aiden again?" Madison sneered as Spencer had finally dragged an infuriated Ashley off of the cheerleader.

"Bitch," Spencer practically growled as she leapt at the other girl, knocking her off-balance. Her friends released their hold on her for a moment, caught off guard by the blonde's attack. Several shoves and a few kicks were delivered on both sides before a smirking Ashley and a few exasperated cheerleaders pulled the girls apart again.

It was a few minutes after the fight had finally broken up, and the girls were left to change for gym, as Spencer and Ashley walked calmly out of the locker room. Both were a little sore but ecstatic because they knew that Madison had to be feeling it too. It was then that Ashley decided to try out her new humor, relating to their school mascot and the fight. "Spence, that was so awesome! Who would have guessed that you were such a cobra when it came down to it?"

"That was a horrible joke," Spencer shook her head, laughing slightly at her girlfriend.

"Okay, so maybe it wasn't one of my best…" Ashley shrugged her shoulders, still grinning. She liked that joke, and she knew that somewhere within her, Spencer did too.

"Definitely…" Spencer was caught off as the brunette raised her left eyebrow, and casually draped an arm around the blonde's body, hoping for another kiss. Luckily, the hallway was clear because the late bell was about to ring for their next class. "Come on, Ash. No fair. I have to go to my next class." Ashley smirked, and moved their bodies closer. "Don't give me that look." Spencer's wish was droned out, as she looked into Ashley's eyes for a moment before realizing that was a bad idea. She would never get to class if Ashley had her way. "You're going to make me late for class, Ash. Your class is right there…and mine is all the way down the hallway, definitely not fair." Ashley simply giggled, and another moment passed at the two girls just stood in the hallway together, smiling. "Now, I'm going to have to run to class, thanks." Another grin from the brunette, and a sigh from the blonde.. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Tonight?" Ashley stopped her smirk to think for a moment. She didn't realize that she had plans for that night.

"Yeah, you're staying over at my house." Spencer slipped out of Ashley's reach as the brunette thought about what their plans were for the night. Spencer had just made them up on the spot. "And so you know…If I was to be late for any of my classes, I'd want it to be because of you." Spencer smirked at the hopeful grin on the brunette's face before turning and running towards her own class.

The final bell rang, and both Ashley and Spencer were the first ones out of their classes. Within minutes, Ashley had showed up at Spencer's locker. "So…You ready?" Spencer nodded happily, glad to not have homework for once. The two girls walked to Ashley's vehicle, and that's when they spotted Glen staring at them. They looked happy, and had been holding hands, chatting casually.

"Ashley," she looked up to see Glen glaring at her.

"What?" She shifted from one foot to the other, and Spencer tightened her hold on the brunette's hand. Both girls knew that Glen was not fond of their relationship, due to the way that he had reacted when he had walked in on the morning in which Ashley had first stayed at the Carlin house.

"I need to talk to you for a sec." He glanced at his sister warily. "Spence, can you give us a second?"

"Are you going to hit on her?" Spencer glared at her brother, unsure of his motives. He tried to hit on Ashley before; he might try to do it again.

"What? No." Glen shook his head confused for a moment.

"It won't work." Spencer was still defensive. Glen was not going to be allowed to hit on Ashley again. She didn't want her brother hitting on her girlfriend.

"Shit, Spencer. I'm not going to try to hit on her. My own girlfriend is sitting in the car waiting for me. So, why would I want to hit on yours?" He gestured at a rather impatient Madison, who was, indeed, seated in the passenger seat of his car. "No offense or anything, Ashley."

"None taken," Ashley added casually, trying to hold in her laughter as she glanced at Spencer's face. She was obviously frustrated at being banned to the car as Madison was.

"Hmph," Spencer looked at bother of them again before shrugged hopelessly. "I'll be in the car."

"Is she a little defensive or what?" Glen shook his head as his crazily defensive sister walked to Ashley's car, and hopped in the passenger seat.

"Yeah…" Ashley dreamily watched her walk away. She thought it was cute that Spencer was so defensive over her.

"Well, we don't have the best track record for casual flirting, I guess…" Glen nodded his head arrogantly. Glen was still Glen. Arrogant asshole and all. Ashley just wanted to figure out what he wanted with her, if he wasn't trying to hit on her.

"Did you have a point, Rambling Boy? Your girlfriend seems a little miffed at being left in your car." She nodded towards the impatient Madison, who was now drumming her fingers on the car door, where the window was rolled down. She was trying to hear their conversation, but she was too far away.

"I'll make it up to her later." Glen grinned at the thought, and Ashley realized exactly what he meant from his gestures.

"Ew, I did not need to know that. Too much information." Ashley shook her head, trying to clear out the image of Glen and Madison, well, together. Together together.

"Well, it's true." Glen stopped his smirking when he saw Ashley's face. "Fine. I just wanted to tell you that if you hurt my sister again, I'll get you." He nodded seriously, and Ashley tried to keep a straight face.

"You'll hit a girl?" She tried to figure out exactly what he meant by that. The brunette had assumed that he meant that's how he was going to 'get her,' but in reality, the threat just reminded her of a bad mafia movie that she had once watched.

"I'll have Madison get you." She stifled a laugh. "Hey now, you get my point. Right?" He was just trying to be a good big brother, and so, he did what he would do if Spencer was dating a guy that had hurt her before. He wasn't a moron, arrogant yes, but stupid no. He knew that Spencer had been hurting the last few days, and that's the only reason that Kelly had been around.

"No worries, I get it." She nodded her head at him, and looked behind her towards her car. Spencer looked as impatient as Madison, only cuter.

"Good," Glen nodded his head as well, and looked as if he thought that he had to say something else. There was silence for a few moments, before Ashley decided that she didn't want to stand around with Spencer's brother anymore. She didn't want to hear any more of his 'threats.' Hopefully, Clay wouldn't 'threaten' her as well. Though, she doubted that he would. He was more mature, and too busy with Chelsea to imagine too much of what was going on with Ashley and Spencer. Plus, it helped that he hadn't walked in on them cuddled together one morning.

"I'm, uh, going to drive your sister home now." Ashley jerked her thumb towards her car, indicating that Spencer was waiting for her in it.

"Good." The blonde guy nodded his head again, and looked towards his own car, trying to act tough. Ashley was not allowed to hurt his sister even if she was a chick.

"Right," Ashley nodded her head again, backing towards her car.

Glen looked back at an angry looking Madison. Oh, right. She thought that he had gone over to defend her, and chew out Ashley for being a lesbian. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. "Oh, you heard me right!" He had to make it look good, or sound good anyway. Madison looked content after he added a few arm gestures, and she missed the wink that he threw at Ashley. Luckily, she caught his drift and did her best to keep from laughing. Madison bought it. He was her hero, for a few days anyway.

"I have a girlfriend." Spencer was stating this just as Ashley came back into view. It took Ashley a moment to realize that someone was standing there, on the other side of her car, talking to Spencer.

"But, we," the person tried to begin before Ashley cut her off.

"Hi Kelly." Ashley smiled at the other girl, who frowned in return.

"Oh, hi Ashley.

"We're going to be going now." Spencer smiled at her girlfriend before informing Kelly of this. She looked sad, but she also seemed to realize that she wasn't Ashley. Ashley was what Spencer craved, and Spencer was what Ashley craved. Kelly nodded; she understood. If Ashley screwed up, though, she was so going to win Spencer over again. Aiden was in the parking lot too, but he was too busy to acknowledge the other girls for too long because he seemed to be hanging out with Nikki that afternoon. At least his arm was draped casually over her shoulder as they talked to a few of his basketball buddies. They seemed happy together, and for once, Aiden had someone who treated him as more than just 'one of the girls.' That's what he deserved.

"Hey Mom! I brought home Ashley." Spencer's voice rang out through the downstairs as she glanced around for her mom. Ashley stood nervously near the door as Spencer wandered into the kitchen.

"Ashley?" Paula questioned her daughter; a scared look suddenly dawned on her face. Her daughter had brought home her lesbian friend!

"Yeah, um, we're going to go do homework. Okay?" Spencer noticed the look on her mother's face, but she chose to ignore it. Ashley was more important, and right now, she didn't feel like dealing with whatever crap her mother had to say. She had lied to keep Ashley away from Spencer's heart, and Ashley had found her way in anyway. They'd have to deal with that one day, have a discussion, mother to daughter, but today was not the day.

"In your room?" Paula looked panicked, trying to find a way to keep the two girls within her eyesight.

"Yes," Spencer kept her answers simple. She decided that was for the best because then she wouldn't have to lie to her mother.

"With your door closed?"

"Yes," still short and simple.  
"But, she's…she's…" Paula panicked, trying to find the right words to describe Ashley. She avoided the words, 'gay' and 'lesbian' completely. They were too hard to try to say at the moment.

"You let Kelly stay in my room." Spencer pointed this out, and realized that her mother had no reason to object anymore.

"Kelly is different. She's," straight, but Spencer didn't let her mother finish her complaint. She knew what her mother had to say. It was time that Paula listened to her own daughter.

"Mom, I promise, Kelly has the exact same sexual orientation as Ashley." Spencer wasn't lying. Both girls were gay.

"What?" Paula looked panicked for a moment until she remembered the sweet looks that Clay had sent Kelly, and the cute dress that Kelly had worn the night that Spencer had gone out with her. And they had done their homework so well together, and everything had been fine then. She looked relieved. Kelly had to be straight, and her daughter wouldn't lie. So, if they had the same sexual orientation…"Oh…Oh! Really? I mean, okay. It's okay." That meant that Ashley was straight! Which was good. Really good.

"So, we're allowed to go do our homework? You won't come checking on us to make sure that we have everything finished right away or anything?" Spencer went through her list of complaints about her mother, hoping to secure a few uninterrupted hours alone with Ashley in her room.

"No, Spencer, I'll let you do your homework." Paula nodded, relieved to hear the news about Spencer and her nice, straight female friends.

"Thanks, Mom." Spencer gave her mom a quick hug, and took off towards the living room, towards an awaiting Ashley, who, thanks to a solid door between the living room and the kitchen, hadn't had to hear most of the conversation. Her girlfriend would fill her in soon enough.

"What do you have to work on anyway?" Paula asked the two girls as they began up the stairs.

"Chemistry," Spencer smirked at Ashley as she answered. They had no homework, just a little chemistry of their own to work out, and both girls were positive that it wouldn't be as hard to understand as the actual assignments or anything that may have happened with Kelly or Aiden. Apart, they were simply lone elements, but together, they formed the perfect compound.


End file.
